


Set the Kindling, Strike a Match

by littlemisslol



Series: Drown Your Past, Burn your Future [2]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, No beta we die like mne, Protective Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider, Protective Rapunzel (Disney), RIP Varian you're in for a world of hurt lol, Those are the big warnings, Trauma Recovery, Violence, Y'all ready for round two? Cause I am, about on par with rowboats if not a smidge worse, also:, but if you got through rowboats you'll know that's a given, but that's half the fun innit, generally a lot of bad times for our mains, they're trying so hard, warnings for:
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:48:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 27,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25453408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemisslol/pseuds/littlemisslol
Summary: Two years after the events of Barviel Keep, Varian has tried to adapt to the expectations brought by being a King’s Ward, with mixed results. Haunted by ghosts, Varian is forced to face the demons he tried to leave behind in Bayangor when his abdication is forcibly stopped by a third party, out for revenge against the Bayan Royal bloodline. On the run, with few allies left to turn to, Varian finds himself chasing a ghost through a series of tests that only a true heir of Demanitus could ever hope to pass.But the shadows are ever present, looming and dark, and not everything is as simple as it might seem.On Hiatus
Relationships: Cassandra & Varian (Disney: Tangled), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Varian, Rapunzel & Varian (Disney)
Series: Drown Your Past, Burn your Future [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1843564
Comments: 37
Kudos: 105





	1. The Smell of Smoke

Varian couldn’t help but get the feeling of déjà-vu.

Though it might just be the choking feeling he got when people forced him into wearing a tie, he wasn’t entirely sure, to be honest.

The hallways of Corona Castle were aglow with the afternoon sun streaming through large windows embedding the walls. The polished, warm wood of the floors echoed with the sound of running footsteps, the noise bouncing through the halls. Varian snuck through the hallways as quietly as he could, dodging into corners and side halls at the first sign of other people, hiding in the shadows until they’d passed. The halls of Corona Castle were nothing if not familiar at this point; Varian had spent the last two years living there and all. Ruddiger, ever the faithful pet, followed him closely- the raccoon weaved around his running feet with a practiced ease. Varian loved to use his knowledge of the castle to his advantage- there was always somewhere to hide, somewhere to sneak away, when stress of the Coronian court got to be too much. 

And today of all days, there was nothing he wanted more than to disappear.

He slid through the hallways of the castle with practiced ease, skirting past visiting nobles and servants alike, quietly sneaking through the perfectly polished halls towards a large set of double doors. The oak doors were carved with insignias of the Corona sun, large and perfect and painted a bright, cheery yellow. Varian pushed one of the doors open, quietly slipping into the room beyond. Ruddiger followed quickly, letting out a happy chitter when the animal figured out where they were.

The Corona Royal Library was a large, circular room with bookshelves built into every wall. It was nearly three stories in height, with large balconies on each floor. It was a warm, cheerful space of warm wood and soft carpets, roaring fires and the smell of ancient paper. Varian took a deep breath, the scent of old knowledge comforting his raging thoughts. He tugged idly at his stupid tie as he wandered across the large open space, dodging around large, plush couches and wingback chairs. There was no one else in the room save for him, the quiet library was perfectly clam and serene. _Finally,_ he could breathe again. It had been days since he’d last escaped to the safety of the library, the last week had been hell as he’d been dragged around and bombarded with questions and small talk alike. 

Who knew turning eighteen would be so _stressful_?

Varian sighed, leaning back against a wall as he puffed out a relieved breath. Had he known how intense this whole _abdication_ thing would have been, he wouldn’t have bothered agreeing to wait until he was eighteen to ditch the Bayan throne. He’d never wanted it anyways- it had been forcefully given to him by Aldred those two years ago, so long a time and yet so _short_. The decision had been easy then, as a scared child just happy to be home with his family, but it was certainly coming to bite him now, with every single noble from the Seven Kingdoms demanding an audience in order to watch the official takeover. Varian didn’t understand why; the _Seven_ Kingdoms had basically been the _Six_ ever since Rapunzel and Eugene had saved him from Bayangor. Varian didn’t understand why exactly signing a little piece of paper was suddenly so important.

Bayangor was basically dead and buried- it had been for _two_ _years_. What was left of its king was in a crow’s belly, and Barviel Keep had burned to the ground. _Bayangor_ was nearly nothing but a horrible blight on Varian’s past, one he quite frankly couldn’t wait to scrub away. The past week, with its parties and visiting nobles and assorted ceremonies had done nothing but dredge up horrible memories; Varian was itching for it to be finished. He felt like there was something crawling under his skin every time someone mentioned Bayangor.

Ah, well.

Varian sank down the wall slightly, hitting the floor and curling up to make himself smaller. He brought his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them as he pressed his back into the panelling behind him. Ruddiger let out a small, sad little chirp, bullying his way onto Varian’s lap. The boy curled around his pet, cradling the raccoon with his legs and arms. He noted with a slightly mean grin that his perfectly pressed vest and jacket was rumpled by the action, and was also now covered in animal hair. Nigel was sure to have a fit next time he saw Varian in such a sate, and that made it all the sweeter, honestly.

The quiet of the library was a balm on his aching head, a blessed silence after two days of _sit up straight, Varian,_ and _no, you can’t go to the lab, we have guests,_ and fussy nobles and awkward feasts and _oh no ma’am, I’m only a prince by title, but after the signing-_

Varian felt his teeth grind together, his jaw locking.

It was driving him _insane_ ; he wasn’t cut out for this whole _court_ thing, he really wasn’t. Rapunzel was, even Eugene was to a point with his natural charisma, but Varian? Varian was _awkward_ , he was odd, he had weird hobbies and boundless energy unbefitting of a King’s Ward. He hated crowds, and small talk, and the attention that being royalty demanded of him. He’d spent his formative years locked in a lab through his own choices, after all- he might have the pedigree for the court, but he _certainly_ didn’t have the personality for it.

Varian tightened his grip on his legs, burrowing his face deeper into his knees. Ruddiger gently patted at his face, little raccoon hands making a soft _pap_ noise. Varian smiled at the gesture but sighed again. Last time there’d been this many dignitaries in the castle he’d ended up… a little worse for wear, to say the least. He knew it was old anxieties rearing their head, knew that his mistrust of strangers was perfectly valid, but that reasoning didn’t help when he’d just run out of an important luncheon with a Duchess from Neserdnia. The anxiety and shame clawed up from his chest and into his throat- by the _Sun_ he was going to be hearing about this from Nigel for weeks, wasn’t he?

Varian scowled into his knees, digging his fingers into his pant legs. _Of course_ he can’t even sit through a lunch, the mere mention of Aldred from another person’s mouth enough to send Varian sprinting away like a coward. He was nearly eighteen, he should be _over this_ -

“Varian?” A soft voice called through the shelves. Varian tensed up as his blessed silence was shattered, but relaxed when he realized who it was. That voice belonged to someone secure, he knew it deep in his hindbrain, someone who was warm and kind and _safe_.

“Rapunzel.” He said blandly, not quite looking up at her as she drew close. He could see the edges of her purple dress, her feet bare. Must have ditched the shoes while looking for him, then _. Classic._ She knelt in front of him, and he turned his face away to face the shelves.

“How bad is it?” He asked, his voice cracking a bit at the end. Her hand came up to cup his head, and he couldn’t help but to lean into the touch. Rapunzel was safety, she was loving and protective all at once, someone he could always trust to have his back. Somewhere, on a deep, instinctual level, he knew that he could always trust his sister. She looked at him with an awkward grin- Varian felt the shame crawl back up.

“Not… bad.” She said unconvincingly. “She’s only a _little_ offended, nothing Dad can’t smooth over.”

Varian let out a whining noise, burying his face deeper into his knees. _How embarrassing_.

“Hey,” Rapunzel said, and he could hear her smile. “It’s not so bad. I’ve done _way worse_!”

Varian barked out a self-deprecating laugh, curling tighter into himself. He shoved his face into his legs, pressing his closed eyes against his knees. Ruddiger squeaked as he was smushed, wiggling ineffectively. Stars danced across Varian’s vision at the soft pressure, the boy pushing harder for a second before letting up. He brought his face back up, glaring off to the side.

“Yeah, but you’re the Princess.” Varian mumbled, his words nearly getting lost with how quietly he said them. “ _You_ get a free pass.”

Rapunzel’s hand went from playing with his hair to cupping his cheek, tipping his head up. Varian went willingly, being met with a small smile and bright green eyes. “ _Hey_ ,” She said, fixing him with a firm, determined look. “You’re my little brother, if anyone tries to give you trouble you send them right to me, got it?”

Varian felt his face soften from his attempt at a scowl, a shy smile taking its place. It was always something special when Rapunzel said they were siblings, even if she did it often. It meant so much to Varian, who had already lost so much family, to hear that confirmation that he wasn’t alone in the world. To hear her, even just in words, declare them to be family- well it meant more than she’d probably ever know. Something in him warmed, soothing the pains.

Rapunzel shifted slightly, sitting next to him and spreading out the skirt of her dress to keep from being tangled. Varian let himself slide down the wall a little, his head landing on her shoulder. She brought an arm up, wrapping him up in a loose hug. He sniffled at the frustration of it, not crying but upset, nonetheless. Rapunzel cooed to him, her arms tightening just the fraction more. She drew him closer, one hand going up to run through his hair. “You’ll be okay.” She said, “Just a few more days, and then they’re all gone. And _you_ become the abdicated heir to… well to nothing at all.”

Varian shifted in her hold, trying to find the space to breathe. She held him tighter, even to the point where Ruddiger was trying to escape. He squirmed, trying not to offend her. Her hand continued to run through his hair, and while it was nice, he wasn’t really in the mood for anymore hugs.

The boy tried again, a little firmer, and succeeded in finally pushing out of her grip. She let him go, her hands trailing for just a second on his shoulders. Ruddiger jumped from Varian’s lap, and the two humans stood up together. Varian wobbled on his feet a little, using a hand on the wall for balance. Neither of them really bothered to fix their clothing, both rumpled from sitting on the floor. Rapunzel looked ready to say something else, but Varian cut her off by walking to the large window across the room, leaning against the sill. Ruddiger followed, scrambling up the boy’s clothes to perch atop Varian’s shoulders and peek out the window as well.

The window looked out over the cemetery. It was a bright day, especially for a day in March, sunny and clear with a bright blue sky. Varian knew it was relatively warm out- he’d tried to hide out in the gardens earlier that day- and the midafternoon sun was high in the sky. Far below, nearly centered in the cemetery he can see the silhouette of his dad’s grave, the marble as perfectly polished as it had been the day they’d buried him. Something in him deflated at seeing the distant figure of Quirin of Old Corona, still perfectly immortalized in marble in a perfect military rest. Varian bit his lip, unable to look away. Ruddiger chittered, curling close around the boy’s neck. Varian didn’t respond.

Rapunzel followed him across the room, looking down and seeing exactly what Varian was staring at. Her face was sad, the woman bringing up a hand and putting it on his shoulder. The boy leaned into her touch, but refused to break eye contact with the grave. There was a beat, the sound of Varian’s hitching breaths filling the library as he tried to hold himself together.

“He’d be so proud of you.” Rapunzel said, the silence of the library suddenly stifling. Varian didn’t reply, staring down at polished marble with forlorn eyes. He sniffled, still unable to look away. Her thumb rubbed at his shoulder, before she used a firm grip on his shoulder to turn him away from the window. Something in him cracked when he was forced to look away, trying in vain to look back through the window as he was led back towards the main doors of the library.

“C’mon.” The brunette said with a sudden happy tone, “Just a few more days of playing nice, and then you’ll be a free alchemist again.” She grinned, and Varian plastered a smile on to appease her. She guided him from the library, taking the fake look on his face as genuine; Varian forced the smile to stay, trying one last time to look back at his father’s grave as he was led from the room. Her green eyes snapped to him; Varian whipped his head around to meet her gaze, widened his imitation grin in response.

It tasted bitter. 

“Wanna see something _fun_?”

Varian looked up from the book he’d been reading, tucked away in a back corner of one of the many sitting rooms of the castle. His blue eyes settled on Rapunzel with a small tilt of his head, brows scrunching together in confusion. They’d left the library and retreated to one of the sitting rooms in the castle to hide together, Varian chewing through a book while Rapunzel sketched. Ruddiger was curled up around Varian’s feet, fast asleep.

“I dunno.” Varian said, looking back down to his book. “Last time _something fun_ was a particularly fat hedgehog- I don’t know if I have it in me to go through that kind of emotional turmoil again.”

Rapunzel snorted, but stood from her place on the couch. She offered him her hand, wiggling her fingers as if that would make the offer more tempting. Varian felt his face twist up into something almost like a smile, taking her outstretched hand and letting her pull him to his feet. Ruddiger drowsily transitioned onto his shoulders, falling back asleep the moment he was situated. Rapunzel bodily dragged Varian from the room, the door to the sitting room swiftly shutting behind him.

The brunette babbled as they walked, moving through the halls of the castle. Servants bustled around, splitting around them like a wave as they drew closer to the main hall of the castle. The castle of Corona had been anarchy in the week leading up to Varian’s birthday, both for the signing ceremony and the actual party taking place the night before. The chaos of the halls set him on edge, but Varian felt his interest perk up as they walked- there wasn’t much in the main hall that could be classified as _fun_.

“I promise, you’re going to love it!” Rapunzel said as they entered the great hall properly, the large, open space was aglow with multicoloured lights from two stained-glass windows embedded in the walls on either side of a large, ornate set of main doors. Varian idly let his eyes trace the designs, the Corona sun emblem shining back at him. He looked around for anything out of place, finally noticing that one of the walls had a large piece of yellow fabric covering it. Varian arched a brow, looking over to Rapunzel with an expectant look. Rapunzel grinned, seeing that he’d caught on. She bounced on her bare heels, dragging him over to the covered part of the wall. Varian knew, from two years of living in the castle, that behind that curtain was usually a large portrait of the royal family. He’d walked past the smiling faces of Frederick, Arianna, Rapunzel, and Eugene countless times by now- enough times to know exactly what it was supposed to look like.

“Well,” Rapunzel said, “Since it’s your birthday, mom and dad asked me to update our portrait!” She grinned as she pulled on a rope, the tarp falling away to reveal a new painting the same size as the old one. Varian noticed that, instead of being done in a hyper-realistic style like the old one had been, the new painting was unmistakably one of Rapunzel’s. Her proud smile only got bigger as he looked closer, seeing the king and queen regally standing proud in the back, then Rapunzel and Eugene in front of them, smiling wide and bright, and right in the middle, surrounded by his family-

Varian blinked at the sight of his own smiling face staring back at him.

He couldn’t remember ever posing for it- Rapunzel must have done it from memory. He looked up into his own face, one split by a wide grin Varian knew he hardly ever wore anymore. Something in the light of his eyes looked wrong- he knew that while it once may have been there it was no longer. Varian could feel his head tilting in thought as he looked closer into his own grin. He looked happy- _he looked fake_.

“Wow!” He said, “Oh, it looks so good!” The words were bitter on his tongue, but he knew that Rapunzel must have worked hard on it, so he choked them out. It was a beautiful painting, to be fair, but to see his own face immortalized in paint and canvas ripped him out of Corona and back to the horrifying rooms of Barviel Keep. The Hall of Portraits had been filled to the brim with Varian’s scowling ancestors, forever frozen on canvas like a graveyard of bitter faces. There was something about seeing himself through that same lens of canvas and a fake smile that stuck him with such a feeling of foreboding, such dread. Something dead in that oil paint that reflected the way he’d felt since Rapunzel had dragged him home. And then, unprompted, like a whisper of smoke-

_Someday my own portrait will hang here, as will yours._

Father.

_Aldred_.

Varian shuddered, resolving himself to looking away from his own reflection. Rapunzel looked at him with something like apprehension, waiting for an actual response. Varian realised, quite belatedly, he was being rude.

“It’s beautiful.” He said, not untruthfully. Rapunzel perked up at that, moving away from the wall to stand by his side. “I really like it.”

“It’s not your only present.” Rapunzel said, as if to assure him. “But mom and dad thought- since you’re part of our family- it was time to update.”

Varian could see the appeal of the idea. To see his place with them cemented in such a small-but-substantial way, to see them together as a unit, it was a nice gesture. But it wasn’t one that Varian could find himself appreciating as he looked back up to the projected version of himself and saw nothing but images of people that weren’t him. Names flicked through his mind, ones he’d tried countless hours to forget but he never seemed to let go of- much like most of his time at Barviel, they stuck like glue in the creases of his thoughts.

_Geldam of Wildshores, Kamron and Abelia of Crowshaven, Aisha of Old Corona,_ _Aldred_ -

Varian felt his thoughts trip over the final name. He sucked in a breath through his teeth, and Rapunzel finally seemed to pick up on his hesitation. Her hand was gentle as she brought it up to his back. Varian flinched at the contact, but relaxed as she began to rub at his shoulders. He sank into her, pressing into her side with a small, sad noise. Ruddiger sleepily chittered, _papping_ at his face with a soft little motion. 

“It’s a wonderful painting.” Varian reiterated, hugging around her middle. He was determined to let her know that it wasn’t her fault, that she hadn’t caused this-

“It’s okay.” She said softly, “I know that you and paintings don’t really… have the best history.” Her other hand cupped his cheek, tilting his head up so they looked at each other eye to eye. Varian fidgeted, but Rapunzel merely smiled down at him. “We just wanted you to know that we love you.” She murmured, “And that you’re part of our family- no matter where you may have come from.”

Varian smiled weakly, pressing forwards as she dropped her hands to wrap around him in a tight hug. He pressed a small smile into her shoulder, the anxiety fading away the less he looked at his own fake grin. It was just paint and canvas, nothing solid, nothing real.

Nothing important.

He steeled himself, pulling away from Rapunzel. She hugged him once more before letting go; she stepped over and began to gather the fabric she’d used to cover the painting. Varian moved to help, the two of them nearly buckling under the weight. Even Ruddiger tried to help, holding onto a random chunk from Varian’s armful. 

“Now, I’ve got to get this back to the royal tailor before he notices it’s gone.” Rapunzel said nervously, already looking down the hall. Varian snickered, muffling the laugh into the wad of yellow fabric in his full arms. Rapunzel’s face dropped into an expression of mock-outrage, the woman tossing her armful of fabric onto Varian. “Oh, so it’s like _that,_ is it?” She demanded, her tone playful.

The boy fell with a laughing shriek, the weight of the cloth too much for him. The boy dropped down onto the tiles. Ruddiger went down with an excited chitter, bailing off Varian’s shoulder. Extra fabric, the tail ends neither of the two humans had managed to scoop up, broke his fall, successfully wrapping around him until Varian found himself good and cocooned without hope of escape. Ruddiger let out a small purr, crawling up on top and curling up, apparently ready to take a nap.

Rapunzel reached down and grabbed at one of the ends, pulling slightly. Varian giggled with childish delight as he began to slide along the smooth tile floors, effectively dragged along behind his sister as she pulled the ends of the tarp towards the door. Rapunzel laughed as well, their giggles ringing through the large room. Rapunzel tugged harder, yanking Varian and his cocoon along behind her as they left the room and headed towards the tailor’s office.

In the gentle hush left behind, the smiling portrait of the royal family seemed all the warmer.

Thankfully, after the disaster that was lunch, dinner was at least a private affair. Varian slouched slightly in his chair, picking at the food in front of him listlessly. Frederick and Arianna exchanged worried looks to his left, Rapunzel and Eugene swapping their own to Varian’s right. Bunch of gossips, honestly. Varian rolled a pea around with his fork, doing his best to ignore the awkward staring from everyone at the table around him. The dining room was painted red in the light of the setting sun, large windows showing off the view of the Coronian countryside. They were in one of the smaller dining rooms, the one they usually used when they weren’t hosting. Their guests were elsewhere, probably preparing for the party tomorrow, if Varian had to guess. He sighed again, slouching a little deeper into his chair as his thoughts turned back to the shitshow that had been lunch-

“Prince Varian,” Nigel’s nasally voice drifted from behind him, breaking the silence, “We must _sit up straight_ at the table.”

“Not a prince,” Varian growled, still straightening his spine at the prompting. He’d had those fights with Nigel ages ago; it was just easier to obey.

“You are until you’re eighteen.” Frederic said dully, not looking up from a large stack of papers in front of him; probably about the coming annexation if Varian had to guess. The thought twisted in his gut. “And even after that, you’re still our ward.”

The King looked up to Arianna, who nodded. The queen turned and offered Varian a happy smile. “Exactly.” She said, “But Nigel, it _is_ almost his birthday, maybe cut Varian some slack?”

“Of course, my lady.” Nigel said, stepping back. Varian looked to Arianna a grateful, shy smile, which the Queen returned wholeheartedly. There was a beat of silence between everyone at the table, save for the clinking of cutlery against the porcelain plates. Varian idly bounced his leg, the nerves getting the better of him as it always did when he screwed up. Just waiting for Frederic or Arianna to finally tell him he’d gone too far, stepped over a line, that he was just wasn’t worth holding on to and they’d decided to send him back to Bayangor-

“So, goggles.” Eugene piped up from across the table. Varian’s head snapped up to look at the older man, his leg settling at the easy grin Eugene shot him. “What are you wanting for your birthday, this year?”

Varian bit his lip in thought, he didn’t really want anything too crazy. His sixteenth birthday had been… an absolute nightmare, honestly; seventeen had been spent hiding in a closet at the realization it had been almost a year since the events in Barviel Keep. Varian had been hoping eighteen would be better, but if the last week was any sort of indication it wasn’t looking good. If anything, that afternoon’s disastrous lunch was enough of an embarrassment to know that Varian _obviously_ wasn’t over the events of Barviel Keep.

He probably never would be, honestly.

“I was thinking…” Varian started, trailing off when every pair of eyes in the room looked to him. He shuddered from the attention, but tried to keep his voice steady. “That instead of a present this year… maybe after I abdicate I could- I don’t know- go… travel?”

The last word was nearly a squeak, so quiet that you’d barely have heard it if not for the way the room had stilled around him. He could feel the already terrible mood in the room drop. Varian chanced a look towards the royalty at the table, sinking down in his chair when he saw the varying concerned looks directed towards him.

“Absolutely not.” Frederic suddenly said, fully looking up from his papers. Varian shrank as the words rang out through the dining room, wringing his gloved hands together. _Terrible idea_ , he chided himself, _terrible timing, terrible idea, terrible-_

“It’s too dangerous out there, at least for you.” Frederic said, fixing Varian with a firm look. Varian’s brows scrunched in surprise, returning Frederic’s stare.

“I- what?” Varian stuttered, looking around the table for an ally. Everyone was fixated on their plates, no one looking Varian in the eye. “Are you joking? I can take care of myself-”

“Maybe before, you could have.” Frederic responded flatly, looking back down to his paperwork. “But you’re a Ward of the King; the people who would try and do you harm now are much worse than you would have faced before… before Bayangor. You’ll stay in Corona.”

The last sentence rang out with a sense of finality. The only noise in the room was the scratching of Frederic’s quill on parchment. Varian broke his stare from Frederic, looking to Rapunzel for support. Her green eyes were sad when he met them, and Varian felt his heart sink when she looked down to her plate.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.” Rapunzel said after a long beat of silence. “At least, not right now.”

Varian’s face fell into something of a scowl. Apparently, _no one_ trusted him to take care of himself; they all saw him as something weak and defenseless that needed to be protected. That coming from Frederic and Arianna, Varian could handle, but from _Rapunzel_? Someone he thought would be on his side? It stung, honestly. Varian could feel the tension in the air, rolling around between the six people in the room like a wave of smoke. He looked down to his still full plate with a scowl, setting down his fork with a small _click_ that echoed all too loudly in the large room. Varian pushed himself away from the table roughly, his chair making an unhappy noise against the wooden floors.

“Varian!” Rapunzel called after him as he stalked out of the room. Varian picked up the pace once he was in the hallways, already hearing the clattering noises of Rapunzel getting up to follow him. He spurred into a full-on sprint, the hallways of warm wood and cheery paint flying past him as he ran. The sound of his footsteps echoed in the halls, thunderous in the quiet. He knew better than to run for his usual haunts; Rapunzel always seemed to know exactly where to find him when he was trying to hide.

So when she called out his name again, louder now- _she was catching up-_ he turned and ran into the first room he could find. The randomness would hopefully gain him enough time to sort through his thoughts before she found him; Rapunzel had a way of getting him to agree with her no matter his own convictions. If she found him soon Varian had no doubt that he’d be agreeing to stay in Corona for the rest of his life before dessert was served.

He bolted through the first door he could find, gently shutting it behind him with a near-silent _click_ of the latch. He pushed his back up against the wood of the door, listening with bated breath. Sure enough he heard the telltale echoes of bare feet on hardwood, and Rapunzel’s frantic calling of his name as she ran past. She didn’t stop, her footsteps moving past the door hurriedly. The echo of her voice grew quiet, until Varian couldn’t hear it at all. He let out a relieved breath, finally looking up into the room he’d found himself in.

It was a smaller sitting room, simple and square. Varian was fairly sure he’d never even been in this room before, there was a never-ending stream of sitting rooms in Corona castle after all. It was a smaller room, only allowing for a large fireplace, a few couches, and two large, plush chairs with a small table in between them. The wall across from the door was mostly taken up by a large window, bookshelves framing it perfectly. Varian moved forwards into the sitting room, noting the large fire that was burning in the fireplace. Nearby was a kettle, hanging beside the fire. He pursed his lips for a second, but seeing a little tea set sitting on a table between two large chairs cinched it for him. He grabbed the kettle, feeling from the weight of it that it was already full of water.

He reached into one of the many pockets on his vest, drawing out a small bag. With no real flourish he pulled a little string, opening it to reveal a collection of herbs. With some careful consideration he pulled out a cluster of ginger, as well as a bergamot peel, tossing them into the kettle to boil. Varian sighed, putting the lid of the metal kettle back on and hooking it in place over the fire.

He slouched down into one of the big chairs, kicking off his pinching shoes with a sigh and bringing his knees up to his face. What he wouldn’t give to have Ruddiger with him now, but the raccoon was always banished to Varian’s lab for mealtime- he was clear across the castle right now. The boy huffed out a despondent sigh, staring at the fireplace. Now that he was alone, he began to reflect on the absolute _garbage fire_ that conversation had been… but where to start, really. With Frederic’s casual brush-off of Varian’s abilities? Or Rapunzel’s _agreeing_ with him? Maybe with the fact they all seemed to think he was made of glass, the same helpless little kid he’d been when Aldred had snatched him?

Varian grit his teeth, face sinking into a glare. That was the crux of it, wasn’t it? They thought he was useless- thought he couldn’t take care of himself- thought he was _defenseless_ ; the fact lit a fire in Varian’s blood. The little kettle on the fire began to simmer from the heat, almost boiling but not quite.

“Varian?” A voice called from the door. Varian groaned, he’d hoped to have a little more time before someone came and found him. The boy turned to see Arianna, stunning as ever, quietly closing the door behind her. He felt a slight pulse of shame run through him; Arianna had always tried to smooth things over between them, but Varian couldn’t help but fear the olive branch she kept extending. He’d done terrible things to her, and now she was one of the only things standing between him and Bayangor. He owed her his life, and here he was trying to leave the safety they provided him.

Varian didn’t respond to her, staring grimly into the fire. Arianna seemed nonplussed, moving forwards into the sitting room and gracefully settling into the chair next to Varian’s. Her face was drawn into a relaxed frown, but her eyes were soft. “You know they’re just worried about you.” Arianna started, her eyes drifting away from Varian and towards the fire. “After Bayangor-”

“I was fifteen, in Bayangor.” Varian muttered. “I’m _eighteen_ now. I’m not a child they need to protect anymore.”

“No.” Arianna agreed, “You’re not a child; but you _are_ our ward. We’d never forgive ourselves if something happened to you- _not again_.”

Varian hunched over all the tighter. It all came back to Aldred, didn’t it? Aldred and Bayangor and Crowshaven and _Barviel bloody Keep_. The things Varian was more than willing to shove in a locked box and never think about again, but no one else seemed to want to let it die. It kept coming back, like a cancer. Every time Varian finally felt like he’d finally cut away the last of it, it grew back, stronger, and angrier, and _deeper_. Varian kept cutting, and it just kept growing, slowly devouring him like a beast would its kill.

Varian was worried that one day he’d cut so deep he’d never fully heal from it.

The kettle’s metal lid began to rattle, the noise audible in the silence of the room around him. Arianna paid it no mind, folding her hands in her lap. “Maybe if you were willing to take guards with you,” She murmured, “Like how Rapunzel took Cassandra when she went to follow-”

“That defeats the purpose.” Varian argued, cutting her off, “The whole point is that I want to be normal again, like before… before Bayangor.”

The name was bitter on his tongue, like ash. Arianna looked to him, a sadness washing over her. The shame in Varian’s gut only increased, digging deeper into him at the sorrow on her face. Varian looked back to the fire, refusing to meet her eye.

“We can’t pretend that it never happened,” She said after a long pause, “Or that the ramifications of it don’t exist.”

Varian tensed at that, looking at her sharply. “I’m not _pretending_ ,” He hissed, the defensiveness clear in his tone. “Maybe I just want everyone to _lay off_ for once!”

The kettle’s lid was rattling harder now, the spout letting out a tiny high-pitched noise as it got closer to boiling. Varian clenched his hands together, his nails digging deep into the leather of his gloves as the pulses of irritation got worse. He wasn’t angry with Arianna, not really. He was angry at _all of it_ , she was only a small cog in the whole machine- but she wasn’t innocent either.

“And if we do?” Arianna asked him, “Where would you even go? Not to Bayangor, certainly, so _where_?”

Varian scowled; he hadn’t had a destination in mind, honestly. Just _away_ , was the plan, but _away_ was all he wanted. Away from the expectations and the demands and the _lies_ -

“Anywhere that isn’t here.” He finally growled, staring her dead in the face. Her gaze had fallen into something angry as well, the woman looking almost irritated with him.

“Is it so terrible here that you’d risk your safety, and the safety of _this kingdom_ , to leave?” She asked him, and Varian found his hackles raising at her look. She didn’t stop even when he snarled something at her; the queen refused to back down. “We already lost Rapunzel, so long ago; we lost _you_ two years ago! Quirin wanted us to look after you if he couldn’t, is running off and getting yourself killed- _or worse-_ in a flight of fancy really what he’d want for you?”

“ _You don’t get to speak for him_!” Varian snapped, standing from his chair as if it had burned him. The kettle began to _scream_ , high-pitched and wild as it fully boiled. For a long moment there was no sound save for the irritating whining from the kettle and Varian’s own heavy breathing.

Arianna, irritatingly enough, didn’t seem phased by Varian’s behaviour.

“I do, though.” The older woman said. Her green eyes were sad, but her gaze was firm. “I _do_ speak for him. We’re your guardians, Frederic and I. You’re our _ward_ , Varian- you might as well be our own. Your father may not be here, but you still need guidance, especially now-”

Varian roughly took the squealing kettle from the fire, not feeling the heat through the thickness of his gloves. Arianna cut herself off as he did so, biting her tongue. Her posture was stiff, almost awkward. It seemed that she hadn’t meant to let so much slip. Varian’s breathing settled, the boy holding the kettle’s wooden handle. His mind raced with the information she’d just let slip. There was a silence between them, the both of them lost in thought. Varian sighed, reeling in his temper once again.

“I- I didn’t know you felt that way.” Varian finally muttered, shattering the silence. He knew Rapunzel thought of him as a brother, as he thought of her as a sister. She and Eugene were easily the closest thing he had left to call family. Frederic and Arianna were his guardians, but he’d assumed it was in name only. Frederic had been distant, especially, considering the hatred the man had once held for Varian. From Arianna, Varian had expected fear. He’d kidnapped her, so long ago, held her hostage and nearly killed her… and yet, here she was claiming him as one of her children.

“We do.” Arianna said, eyes distant, “We… we worry for you. Near constantly, actually.” The kettle was hot in Varian’s hand, the heat something noticeable but not uncomfortable through his gloves. Varian slowly forced his body to move, making his way back to Arianna. He went to the small tea set on the table, placing a small strainer in the porcelain teapot. The boy poured the water in, putting the delicate lid on once done. He stumbled over his thoughts, unsure as what to say. Arianna kept going, seemingly unable to stop talking once she’d started.

“The day Rapunzel brought you home, I was so relieved.” Arianna continued, apparently ready to carry the conversation in light of Varian’s silence. “I know our history is… rocky-” Varian barked out a small, rough laugh, and Arianna’s face split into a grim grin in turn, “-but at the end of the day you were a child. During the time with the automatons, and in Bayangor. And, as parents, seeing you in so much pain when you came home- I- we couldn’t just-”

Arianna fumbled with the words, pausing before taking a grounding breath. “You needed someone.” She said, looking Varian in the eye. He felt paralyzed by her stare. “And as much as we wished it were different, Quirin wasn’t with us anymore. Frederic and I, I’ll admit we were hesitant about it, but once we saw what Aldred had done to you? We couldn’t just sit by and let you drown.”

Varian’s eyes were wet, as he met Arianna’s gaze. Her own eyes were swimming in tears, but it seemed she was well practiced in holding them back. They were similar, that way. Her expression was somber, but with something almost determined running just under the surface. “I know we’ll never replace Quirin.” She said, “But we’re here for you, no matter what. We just want you to be safe and running away from the castle won’t change what happened here- it will only put you in danger.”

Varian pulled the strainer from the teapot, letting the steam waft. It smelled bitter, with a tang of citrus. Varian’s nose curled at the scent, but he knew better than to hope the taste would be pleasant. He set the strainer to the side of the little silver tray the tea set was sitting on, shaking it twice gently to get the excess water from it. Varian set the little top back onto the teapot, mechanically picking it up by the porcelain handle and pouring tea into one of the cups.

It was second nature by now; he’d been making himself different concoctions he’d learned from Meave for two years now. Not that he ever believed the woman’s firm idea that drinking certain herbs would protect him from evil, but it was harmless enough that Varian kept going with it. He liked to think of it as honouring her memory.

He missed the old woman, in times like this; times where he had no idea where to go to move forwards. Meave had been a rock, out in the raging waters that was Barviel Keep. She’d died to help keep him safe, betrayed her king to help Rapunzel get Varian home. She’d been a friend to Aisha, a friend to Varian, and though he’d only known her for a small while… she’d sacrificed herself to see him with his family once again. He owed her more than he could ever imagine. Something in him was soothed, looking into the tan coloured depths of his tea, remembering the woman who had taught him so much in such little time. His own reflection stared back at him, rippling with the way his hands were shaking. He was pulled from his memories by Arianna, the Queen’s lyrical voice ringing through his raging thoughts.

“ _Please_ ,” Arianna said, her tone nearly begging, “Don’t leave Corona until the annexation is done at least. Just a few more years- that’s all we ask.”

Varian took a sip of his tea. It was disgusting.

“Okay.” He finally said, his tone soft. “Okay, I won’t leave.”

The aftertaste of bergamot and ginger burned on his tongue.

Arianna smiled at him, taking the teapot in her hands and pouring herself a cup.

“Oh, no you don’t want to-” Varian started to warn her, holding out a hand as she took a sip. Her expression contorted into something disgusted, her whole face squishing at the sourness of the tea. Her eyes scrunched shut, mouth pursing at the flavor. Varian bit his lip to keep from laughing, watching as she gently set her teacup down.

“What an… _interesting_ flavor!” She bit out, her face still contorted in a grimace. “I don’t think it’s for me, though.”

Varian couldn’t help it; the laughter bubbled from him without his consent. Arianna blinked, but quickly joined him. The room felt warmer, bathed in the light from the fire as they laughed together. Varian allowed himself to sink deeper into his chair, letting the warmth and comfort take him as he sipped at his tea.

Arianna smiled at him, gently moving the tea set and tray to the floor and opening a drawer on the side of the table. She drew out a small, foldable chess board and all the pieces from within the drawer, raising a playful brow.

“Care to play?” She asked him, her tone challenging. Varian straightened in his seat, meeting her eye with a mock-glare.

“Bring it on.” He replied, helping her set up the pieces with an honest grin.

“Varian!” Rapunzel called as she ran through the hallways of the castle. She felt terrible- Varian was obviously upset that he couldn’t leave Corona. She’d been the same, when her father had locked her away in her bedroom to keep her from following her destiny all those years ago, but this was different. Varian wasn’t following a secret to saving the kingdom, and _she_ had Cass and Eugene to help her; Varian would be all by himself, and it just _wasn’t safe_.

Rapunzel slowed her run to a walk, a sudden flash of cloudy skies and pink eyes assaulting her memories. She shuddered- she’d almost lost her brother that day, and it was only by pure dumb luck she’d managed to get him back. They’d come _so close_ to disaster- to Aldred sinking his claws just that little bit too deep into Varian, ensuing the boy could never escape. Rapunzel had vowed that she’d never let _anything_ get close enough to hurt Varian like that again, and she intended to keep that promise with her dying breath. 

Rapunzel shook her head to dispel the images in her mind. Her short, brown hair fluttered around her ears. She sighed at the sensation. If there was one thing about her hair that she missed, it was being able to protect her family with it. When Varian had been stolen from them for that long month two years ago, she had prayed for her hair back, _anything_ that would help her to keep her family protected.

She couldn’t let Varian leave Corona yet; it wasn’t safe. Until Bayangor was fully dealt with- until it was completely absorbed into Corona- it just wasn’t a good idea for Varian to go out into the world without someone to protect him. He could run into all kinds of trouble, and who would guard him if she wasn’t around?

No, _no_. It wasn’t a good idea for him to leave. Maybe someday, but not anytime soon.

Rapunzel sighed, finally noticing where her distracted wandering had taken her. She looked at the door to Varian’s old lab with a sense of dread, the warm oak door frightfully unassuming. She’d already checked the library, Varian’s usual first choice to hide, but had found it empty. The princess had checked the graveyard next- still nothing- and the gardens had proved just as lacking. She was running out of places she knew he’d hide- she had to start looking in places she knew he’d pick to _avoid_ being found.

With a sigh Rapunzel pushed the heavy door to Varian’s old lab open, the unused hinges creaking in the quiet of the abandoned room. Varian had a new lab, situated on the other side of the castle from the old one, but Rapunzel knew he was smart; he wouldn’t hide in his new lab if he didn’t want to be found.

She entered the large space, quietly looking around. The lab was bathed in the late evening sunset, bright light streaming in through the large windows. The circular room was coated in dust, cobwebs hanging off an assortment of beakers and long abandoned tools. Rapunzel cautiously moved forwards into the room, her steps leaving footprints in the layer of dust. It was like a shrine, everything left exactly where it had been the day Quirin had died. The brunette felt a chill run up her spine at the memory, the visions of a castle thrown into panic at one of their own being murdered within the very halls they slept in; the memory of blood on the stones and the dawning horror of looking for a missing child invaded her senses.

She could almost smell the copper in the air, the metallic stench of blood-

Rapunzel shook herself; Varian wasn’t in the lab, obviously. She needed to move on to finding him. She went to leave, but paused at a slight disturbance in the dust. On one of the worktables was an envelope, faded in colour. It stood out due to the fact that it was the only item _not_ covered in dust; it was a recent addition to the room. The dust of the table was disturbed around it, showing where someone with small hands had placed it down and left it. There were no footprints nearby- even curiouser. Rapunzel picked it up gently, holding it up in the sunlight. The envelope was pristine, sealed with a dollop of red wax. The seal was one she’d never seen before, a stylized, minimalist interpretation of a clawed hand reaching for the sky.

It wasn’t addressed for anyone, but Rapunzel found herself conflicted. If it was in Varian’s old lab, was it for him? Or did some poor fool misplace it and forgot about it? Rapunzel finally shrugged, popping the wax seal to open it. If it _was_ for someone specific, then maybe the contents of the letter would help her figure out who she should give it to.

The paper within was rough, definitely cheap, but the handwriting on it was clean; educated. Rapunzel looked down to it, seeing that it took up nearly the whole page. She arched a brow, skipping over a few things until her eyes snapped to a familiar name.

_-My dear Varian, I can only hope that you are able to solve my tests and come find me-_

Rapunzel tore her eyes away, shocked. Varian? Who was writing to Varian? He didn’t have any contacts outside the castle, save for Lance and the girls… Rapunzel found her eyes drawn back to the letter, surely she could chance another look-

- _come to the Wildshore Isles. I’ve been hiding here since Aldred tried to hunt me down, but I know that you’ll be smart enough to make your way through the clues and find what he couldn’t. You father was nothing if not stubborn, but between the two of us I was always the craftier one. I’m sure you took after me in that regard-_

Wait-

Rapunzel’s hands were claws on the paper, nearly crumpling it. Her eyes snapped to the bottom of the page, her whole body tensing further when she saw the name scrawled at the bottom.

_Your Mother,_

_Aisha of Bayangor_

Green eyes widened in horror.

Rapunzel reeled back, slamming the note down onto the table with shaking hands. The resulting _BANG_ echoed around the cold stone. She backed away from it, staring at it in horror. _Aisha-_ Varian’s _mother_ , alive? Varian had said she was dead… _Aldred_ had said she was dead. Aisha had been a ghost for years, why would she be trying to convince Varian to come find her _now_ -

Unless she knew he’d be eighteen soon.

Of course, she _would_ know if she were his mother. She’d know he was almost old enough to strike out on his own if he were… average. If there was any time to send such a note, it would be when Varian was old enough to travel-

Rapunzel’s breath hitched.

If Varian saw the note… he’d want to leave. He’d have an actual _reason_ to leave the safety of Corona, of the castle, of Rapunzel herself-

Green eyes flicked back down to the paper. Rapunzel shifted her weight on her feet, tugging roughly at a short piece of her brunette hair. If Varian’s mother were really alive, he’d want to go find her, of course he would, but it wasn’t _safe_. Rapunzel felt like a hypocrite, but every time she thought of Varian wandering off into the great wide world all she could think of was that first time she’d seen him in Barviel Keep, pale and sallow and _scared_. She’d rather die than see him like that again…

Rapunzel picked the letter up again. She looked at it timidly, biting her lip. She folded it, quickly shoving it into a pocket of her dress. She’d tell Varian about it… _later_. Maybe after the abdication was done, once it was a little safer for him to leave Corona; maybe in a few years, once he was older and more prepared to handle the world. Rapunzel quickly left the old lab, not looking back as she left a trail in the dust. She roughly closed the door behind her, setting off again in search of her wayward brother.

Outside the window, the sun slipped beneath the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Round two baby!!! Just a heads up though fellas, I got called back into work at my fulltime job, so updates are gunna be _every other Wednesday_ just so I can keep up. Hopefully we live up to the previous round!!  
> We also have fanart!! [justanotherhopelessfanartist](https://justanotherhopelessfanartist.tumblr.com/) has blessed this series once again <3


	2. Lighting the Fuse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It begins.

Varian was fairly sure he just hated parties at this point.

He hissed in pain when he felt the slight stab of a needle in his shoulder, the tailor behind him muttering a soft _sorry_ as the man continued his work. Varian bit the inside of his cheek before he could say anything rude; it wasn’t the large man’s fault. Varian had been fidgety all day, tense in anticipation of his _birthday celebration_. What a load of garbage, really- Varian would have preferred something small, maybe just Rapunzel, her parents, Eugene, maybe a few others from around the castle. Frederic and Arianna, however, had insisted that the visiting lords and ladies would need to be included in the festivities.

It wasn’t even his birthday, not until tomorrow, but Varian’s _actual_ birthday would be taken up by the annexation, because _of course it would_. Now that Varian would be old enough to sign the contracts for real _,_ Frederic wanted the paperwork out of the way before it became a problem. Varian felt a pulse of anxiety at that- there would be _ceremonies_ , and everyone would be staring at him, and expect him to be a perfect little princeling for an entire day-

Tomorrow was going to be _awful_.

But today wasn’t going so great either.

The tailor’s office was a large room, filled to the brim with rolls of fabric, sewing machines of varying types, and large tables. Mannequins lined the lilac walls in different shapes and sizes; Varian could see the ones specifically created for Rapunzel, the queen, Eugene, and Frederic- and if he peeked to the very end of the line was one made just for him, with his exact measurements. It was kind of creepy, to be honest, to see a fabric representation of each living member of his family lined up like a row of corpses.

Varian shook himself, looking away to the rest of the room. It was just as bright and cheery as the rest of Corona. Ruddiger slept nearby, curled up on a table. At least one of them was enjoying themselves, Varian thought with a frown. A large set of mirrors were clustered around one of the corners, tilted so that the person standing in the middle of them could see themselves from all angles. Varian hated being forced to stand over there, while Rapunzel or Arianna fretted around him and judged how he looked- but maybe he just hated being put on the little pedestal and stared at for long periods of time. 

Varian huffed a sigh as the tailor smoothed out the jacket on his shoulders. The suit they’d shoved him into for tonight _did_ look nice, Varian would admit, but he couldn’t help but hate the way it was tight against him. The jacket was easily the worst part, constricting in a way that made him feel awkward. It almost looked like a fancier version of his usual clothes, due to Arianna’s campaign to reward Varian for not going feral at the other guests. A white button-up with a tall collar stuck out from a blue vest, similar in colour to his hair stripe, with little silver buttons. The sleeves of the blue jacket overtop it all were billowing, a futile attempt to make Varian seem bigger than he was, embroidered in delicate silver thread.

Varian thought he looked ridiculous.

He sighed, trying to suck in a deep breath through the tightness of the buttoned-up vest and failing miserably. Varian flexed his shoulders a little, trying for more space, but stopped with a startle as a button popped with a _ting_ as it went flying across the room. Ruddiger’s head shot up at the loud noise, suddenly wide awake. There was an awkward beat of silence, where Varian’s wide eyes met with the tailor’s for a split second, both of them in slight shock as the button clattered to the floor.

The royal tailor, an elderly, rotund man, sighed and scooped up the decorative button that had once rested on the crest of one of Varian’s shoulders. The man held out his darker skinned hand expectantly, an irritated look flashing across his face. The wrinkled skin of his face scrunched into something of scowl, making the boy cringe in embarrassment. Varian felt his face heat up, quickly ditching the jacket and handing it to the irate tailor. The man huffed, taking the jacket and disappearing into a back-room. The door slammed behind him; Varian jumped at the loud noise.

Varian huffed out the breath he’d been holding, letting himself settle a little now that he was alone. The tailor was always so _grumpy_ , Varian hated visiting him, but by now it was expected of him. Wards of the King had to look their _best_ after all. Varian had been gritting his teeth and dealing with stuffy outfits for two years now, but they never seemed to feel _right_. He always felt misplaced, like he was merely pretending to belong. Varian bit his lip, looking over to a nearby mirror. He hadn’t actually seen the outfit in its entirety yet, and obviously had some newfound time to kill. Varian hopped down off the pedestal and wandered over to look in a full-length mirror with a curious gaze, but froze at what he saw.

He didn’t recognize the person staring back at him.

It was his own reflection staring back at him, Varian could tell that much, but without his goggles or his gloves Varian looked almost like a stranger. Certainly not like himself, to say the least. They’d slicked his hair back for the occasion, Arianna herself had tried to tame it that morning with an army of combs and gels with debatable success. The boy looked into his own eyes, the icy blue of them, wide and still almost naive after all these years- but there was something older in him, Varian realized. Something in the way his jaw was just a little sharper, his nose that tiny bit narrower in his face. His eyes that little more haunted. Varian’s gaze flowed up towards the blue stripe in his hair, and then down again. Without his goggles, or his regular clothes, and with the hair slicked back, he’d say he looked exactly like-

Varian reeled away from the mirror with a sudden gasp of horror. He nearly fell to the floor as he scrambled away from the image in front of him, shock and fear taking over any sort of thought process. 

He nearly screamed at the image of Aldred in front of him.

His back slammed into one of the tailor’s workbenches, making the contents on top rattle angrily. Varian smacked a hand onto his chest, as if he could force his violently beating heart to settle through sheer will alone. The fear was all consuming, the boy caught so off guard by seeing the face of his worst nightmares _in the mirror of all places_ \- Varian forced breath into his stuttering lungs, his hands like claws as they dug into the wooden table and his own clothing.

_Would he ever be able to escape_? 

Varian scowled as he sank deeper into his leaning, the table pressing against the wall. He hadn’t thought- he knew he looked like Aldred, but- something about the way his hair-

Varian’s hand on his chest tightened its grip on the table. He took a weak breath, and then another. Varian looked down to the table, seeing a pair of fabric scissors lying peacefully amongst the assorted pins and tape measures. He chanced a look to the mirror, then back to the scissors, then to the mirror again. Ruddiger seemed to catch into Varian’s train of thought quickly, trying to reach the scissors before his human did, but the raccoon was too slow. Varian’s hand clenched around the silver metal in a death grip.

Before his mind caught up with his body Varian was moving forwards into the room, the scissors clutched tightly in his hand. His other hand reached up to destroy Arianna’s hard work, letting his long bangs flop forwards into his face. He returned to the mirror, and with shaking hands took hold of the blue stripe in his hair. Surely it wouldn’t be too hard to just… chop, right? Get right at the root, and _snip_ there it goes, into the trash where it belongs. Varian caught a flash of the haunted look in his eyes, but looked away quickly, focusing back on his hair. He lifted the stripe up and away from the rest of his raven hair, slowly drawing the scissors closer to his scalp to try and get close to the root, the hand holding the sharp blades shaking harder with every second-

“Kid?” Came a concerned voice. Varian startled, borderline throwing the scissors away from him with a small noise of fear. They hit the floor with a clatter that echoed around the room. The teen whipped around, dropping his hair and trying to look innocent as Eugene Fitzherbert entered the tailor’s workshop. The man was just as handsome as ever, dressed in a slightly fancier guard’s regalia than he normally was. The bright red of the uniform made him look bright and cheerful, as did the usual grin that split across his face. It dropped when he caught sight of Varian’s state- Eugene always had been able to pick up on Varian’s bad moods easier than the others- something in him always had a nose for when things were getting _bad_.

Eugene looked concerned as he moved further into the room, his eyes locked on the scissors that had been thrown to the floor in Varian’s panic. “Are… you good?” Eugene asked, eyes flicking over to Varian. The boy began to nod jerkily, but at Eugene’s unimpressed stare the nod turned into a quick shaking of his head.

“I- not really.” Varian stuttered. “They slicked my hair back and I- I look just like-”

Varian saw the lightbulb go off in Eugene’s head, the man moving forwards to gently guide Varian away from the mirror. “Hey,” The man said, trying to get Varian to meet his eye, “Hey, it’s okay, he’s gone.”

“I know.” Varian said quietly, “But I... I saw- in the mirror, and I just…I-” Varian could barely speak, a stone lodged itself deeply in his throat. He stumbled over everything, his raging thoughts piling up and jumbling on top of one another in the panic. It was like back when Varian had first been brought home, when Rapunzel and Eugene had pulled him back from the very edge of life as a puppet for an evil man, when he’d been so _scared_ that Father-

Varian shuddered as the word filtered through his mind, physically recoiling at the mere thought of it. Eugene’s face dropped into something even more concerned at the reaction, both hands coming up to firmly grasp at Varian’s shoulders.

“You’re okay, Varian.” Eugene said, “He’s gone, he’ll never touch you again.”

Was he though? Was Aldred _really_ dead if Varian lived on? If his legacy continued, could he ever _truly_ be left as dust? Something in Varian’s stomach turned violently at the thought, the idea that he was, by merit of existing, something that kept Aldred alive- even in metaphor. Vairan could feel his breath hitch, his mind drawn back to two years ago, the feeling of drowning in water that wasn’t there, his head shoved under the swells of fear and panic as creeping fingers threatened to drag him under. His ribs ached with phantom pain, his fingers burned, his vision was going _pink_ -

Eugene gently used his grip on Varian’s shoulders to force him to look towards the older man; the boy refused to meet Eugene’s eye. The weight of Eugene’s hands on his shoulders was something grounding, something _real_. A solid presence that Varian found himself drawn towards, using it to calm the torrent of panic that threatened to overtake him in the swells. Varian tried to focus on it, its guiding force hopefully enough to draw him back to shore.

“C’mon, kid.” Eugene said softly, “Breathe with me, you’re okay.”

Varian found himself nodding along, trying to focus on the _here_ to calm himself. Slowly he could feel the fear wash away, reality settling in once more. He could feel the weight of Eugene’s hands, hear chirping birds outside of the large window, see the worried look his friend was giving him. Ruddiger was weaving around his feet, chirping in concern at Varian’s distress. 

Varian felt himself begin to calm, the thudding in his heart slowly slowed enough that he was able to actually hear again, his ringing ears finally picking up on Eugene’s words. The alchemist took a shaky breath before he flung himself forwards into Eugene’s arms with a small, pained noise. Eugene seemed to expect it, merely rocking from the force of it and wrapping himself around Varian’s smaller form. Even after two years, and a growth spurt, Varian was still only _just_ shorter than Rapunzel, thus he was still almost a head shorter than Eugene. Usually it was a source of strife- _Aldred_ had been tall, why wasn’t Varian?- but for times like this, where he wanted to just hide away from the world, he appreciated the fact that Eugene could easily surround him. It was comforting, Varian felt safer, protected. Almost like Quirin’s hugs had been, but not quite.

Nothing was ever _quite_.

“You’re okay.” Eugene murmured, tucking Varian’s head under his chin. “Everything’s fine, we’re in Corona... you’re _safe_.”

Varian did his best to believe him. He burrowed further into Eugene’s chest, relaxing at the familiarity of it. Varian could feel the tension draining from him, his breathing leveling out. The older man continued to say placating words to him, but Varian was barely listening at that point. He felt adrift, shaken, rattled in a way that made Varian feel displaced in reality. The arms around him tightened, Eugene holding him close as if to protect him from the light itself.

“It’s okay, kid.” Eugene said again, but Varian couldn’t help but wonder.

Was it really?

The party _sucked_ , just like Varian had thought it would.

The elites of the Seven Kingdoms were a bunch of stuffy, generally really irritating busy-bodies. Varian had never really, shall we say, _clicked_ with most of them- the adults thought he was strange and uncultured, and their children typically thought the same while being a little more _vocal_ about it. Varian had been to one or two large gatherings by this point; even if he weren’t the King’s ward an appearance would be expected of him as the current heir of Bayangor. 

The alchemist had tried his usual tactics of hiding against the wall, staying as still as possible and praying no one noticed him, but it seemed tonight he was the _shining star_. Rapunzel had paraded him around, introducing him to _The Grand Duchess of Whatever_ or _Duke Who-Cares of Yadda-Yadda_ and Varian couldn’t help but start to feel a migraine coming on. The boy could only take so many snobbish sneers and listen to so much stilted conversation before he wanted to tear his own hair out. The boy had eventually escaped his sister, slinking away to the shadows as soon as he was able, but even then Varian hadn’t truly freed himself from the harsh grip of upper society.

The ballroom of Corona was bright and lively; purple banners with the Coronian crest emblazed on them lined the high walls, the vaulted ceilings were almost twenty meters high and came together in a series of elegant domes, all of them painted with beautiful murals of past king’s deeds. Grand chandeliers hung from the massive marble beams holding the ceiling in place, glittering and polished to perfection. People, royals and servants both, milled around with practiced accuracy, weaving around each other in an intricate dance. The tiled floors were gleaming, so clean Varian could see his reflection in them. The large, white marble tiles reflected the glittering light until it was near blinding, the glow of it all bouncing off the limestone walls. The left wall, one of the longer ones, was lined with a series of French doors made of frosted glass.

The Coronian elite had been seated at the head table during dinner, situated at the very front of the room, elevated so that while they ate they could look down onto their guests. During the meal Varian had been struck by a memory of the last large party they’d hosted, the one where Aldred had found him, where Varian had been sitting down with the quote-unquote _common rabble_. It had made him feel nauseous, the boy pushing his meal around with a sort of lackluster energy. No one had commented, the loud buzz of nearly a hundred people in such a large space had covered up Varian’s bad mood during the meal. 

At least after dinner he had a shot at disappearing into the crowd, but even that was foiled.

He tried to hide near a pillar, trying to hide from the dull, drab patrons of the party, but he’d been swooped up into a _half hour long_ conversation with King Trevor about the migration pattern of seals, of all things. Varian was fairly sure they hated this guy, _why was he even here,_ honestly-

“Now, females travel further and for longer on their second migration, after their molt.” Trevor was saying, his nasally voice grating on Varian’s nerves the longer he was stuck listening to. “But, overall, males travel farther than females, even though they spend less total time at sea-”

“Fascinating, your Majesty.” Varian said, desperately looking around for an out, or maybe something to knock himself unconcious, “Absolutely fascinating, but I’m afraid I’m needed elsewhere-”

Trevor didn’t look ready to stop, fixing Varian with a look. “You know, at least Aldred had the tact to _stay quiet_ when spoken to-”

The alchemist felt himself tense at the name, something in his lungs seizing. He grit his teeth, his voice springing up from within before his short-circuiting brain could catch up. “Well, it’s a good thing I’m not him, _isn’t it_?”

Trevor looked offended, going slightly red in the face. The man looked ready to give the alchemist a piece of his mind, leaning forwards to get closer to Varian’s face. From the closer distance the boy could see Trevor was ready to burst a vessel in his forehead, the man glaring at the offense. He opened his mouth, looking ready to tear into the boy, but stopped short when a sudden presence appeared behind the alchemist. Varian felt a dainty pair of hands on his shoulders, and his bitter expression morphed into a mean little smile. The blond man went slightly pale, looking over Varian’s head with a glower.

“King Trevor!” Rapunzel said. Her voice was bright and cheerful, but Varian knew her well enough to catch the undercurrent of irritation. “If you’ll excuse Varian, I just have to steal him for a second, we’re getting the cake soon, so I’ll just need the guest of honour for a quick-thing- _thank-you_!”

Her tone got more hurried as she spoke. Varian felt the grip on his shoulders bully him forwards, Rapunzel pushing the boy past Trevor as her smile turned more into a gritting of her teeth. Varian went more than willingly, borderline pulling her behind him as he steered their bizarre little conga-line towards a quieter portion of the ballroom. The _swish_ of her purple dress, perfectly layered with a lovely underskirt of light cream, was nearly inaudible as she walked. Rapunzel was the very picture of a future queen, royal and regal and _right_ as she pushed him through the ballroom. They found themselves close to the wall with the frosted doors, a fair bit away from the main crowd.

“You’ve _got_ to learn how to make friends.” Rapunzel griped, spinning Varian around and fussing with his hair. Eugene had helped the boy wash the gel out, leaving it in a style much closer to how the alchemist usually wore it- as in, a chaotic bird’s nest of untamed raven hair. Varian had already received a few strange looks for it tonight, but it was much better than the alternative in his opinion. Rapunzel did her best to flatten down the mess in front of her, idly brushing his hair with her fingers.

“I’m trying,” Varian defended, “But I can only hear about seals for so long before I’m going to _lose my mind_.”

Rapunzel laughed at that, finally seeming content with his hair. She fussed a little more with his jacket, her face screwed up in concentration. The crown on her head glittered in the light of the chandeliers. Varian took the preening with grace, rolling his eyes as she adjusted his clothes. Her busy hands finally backed off, taking one more chance to aggressively pat at his hair.

“There.” She said, hands moving to her hips. “That’s better!”

Varian plastered a smile onto his face, and Rapunzel returned it for a quick second before letting it drop. “Sorry about all this.” She said, “It’ll be over soon- and next year we can do another small birthday with just the family, okay?”

Varian’s forced smile slipped into a real one, softening the grit of his teeth. Rapunzel hated this just as much as he did, he knew that, but it still wasn’t great to be stuck in a giant room with a bunch of cruddy royals, especially considering how hard this time of the year was for him already. “Yeah, alright.’” Varian agreed, “Since I _guess_ I owe you for getting me away from Trevor.”

“I know you do.” Rapunzel grinned, “Here, make it up to me by making yourself scarce before the cake comes out- mom wants it to be a surprise.” She took him by the shoulders again, gently guiding him into turning around. With a little push her hands left him, Varian laughing as she bounced on the balls of her feet with excitement.

Varian pulled a face at her, but did as he was bid and slid out the balcony doors and outside. Rapunzel closed the glass door behind him with a small click. Varian huffed out the last of his laughter into the quiet of the evening, the gentle noises of the spring’s eve a wonderful contradiction to the overly loud music and conversation of the ballroom beyond.

He found himself on one of the smaller balconies, one made of the same white stone and warm-toned wood as the rest of Corona Castle. It was maybe four meters in length, meant to be somewhere quiet to escape from the ballroom. Varian could see more of them lining the rest of the wall beyond, six of them in total jutting out from the ballroom. Gentle orange light filtered through the glass doors from the ballroom, painting the stone in bright colour and deep shadow as the silhouettes of guests wandered around inside. Varian heard crickets down in the gardens below, only just having woken up from their long winter’s naps. The full moon was high in the sky, a perfect circle punched in the cloth of the sky above. The air was crisp, not quite cold but not warm either. Varian walked to the bannister with a sigh, waiting for Rapunzel to come back and get him. Varian chewed on his bottom lip as he leaned against the polished wood of the balcony. He couldn’t help but feel a little melancholy- here he was, finally an actual adult, officially out of his childhood. He should be excited, he supposed, or at least happy.

But he wasn’t.

Varian bit his lip harder, chancing a backwards look towards the glass double doors. Rapunzel wasn’t anywhere near them, so Varian allowed himself to sink into a slouch on the railing. He could already hear Nigel’s inevitable whining, but Varian pressed himself forwards to look down into the lush garden below. 

“Two years, huh.” He muttered to himself, his dull voice getting lost in the soft quiet of the night. _Two years_ since Quirin had been murdered, two years since Varian had been forced into a heritage he didn’t feel was his own, two years since he’d been snatched away like a jewel from a museum. Two years since Aldred had forced his way into Varian’s life, burrowing so deeply that it seemed to be a part of him at his very core. Some days Varian had trouble remembering the happiness of his life before Aldred- sometimes Varian wasn’t quite sure there even was a _before_ anymore. It had all been lost to the great hungry maw of time, all his memories blurring together into grey stone and pink tourmaline.

“Two years.” Varian said again, tone bitter.

Two years, and Quirin hadn’t been there to see his son grow up. Arianna and Frederic had kept him safe, and Rapunzel and Eugene were wonderful- but nothing would ever fill the little hole in Varian’s heart. He felt it every day, a sort of hole in his stomach that never seemed to leave him, something that legitimately felt painful, a physical pain that haunted him more than any amount of broken fingers ever would. Quirin had been torn from him, just like everything else had been-

“Why, if it isn’t the guest of honour!” A jovial voice rang out, sending Varian spinning around to see the new person entering the balcony. Another teenager stood there, gently closing the door. “Didn’t know you were out here!”

Varian’s face scrunched up in confusion, trying to place the person in front of him. Varian had met many of the _social elite_ of the Seven-Almost-Six Kingdoms, but the tall teenager- maybe he was in his early twenties? Varian was terrible with ages- was an enigma to him.

The guy laughed, at Varian’s confused face, and it sounded like the ringing of bells. He was tall, Varian noticed, even taller than Eugene, pale too, with brunette hair that was elegantly buzzed along the sides and longer on the top, swept up and back. His eyes were a startling shade of green, not unlike Hectors, neon and nearly glowing in the spring night. He had a thin face, with an elegant nose and thick eyebrows; he was perfectly, generically, handsome. The smile slipped a bit as Varian remained silent, the guy cocking his head a little. 

“Oh, sorry!” The guy said, “Did you want to be alone? I can go find a different balcony, no biggie- just wanted a place to smoke.” He held up a weird little thin cigar between two of his leather gloved fingers as if displaying his innocence. 

Varian slapped on a smile, the one he wore when Rapunzel insisted he play _nice_. “No, no.” Varian said, “It’s an open patio. I was uh… banished here by Rapunzel for some kind of surprise.”

The guy’s face lit up a little at that, shrugging and walking towards Varian with a roll of his eyes. 

“Siblings, huh?” He griped, “Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em.” 

Varian arched an eye as the taller teen approached, his long, black coat flaring out behind him. “Thanks,” The newcomer said with a smarmy grin. He idly twirled the cigar between his fingers as he winked at Varian, before sticking out his other hand. “Name’s Merrick.”

“Varian.” The shorter teen said back, not so much grumpily as flatly. He reached forwards and shook Merrick’s gloved hand, quickly letting go. The other teen’s palm was oddly warm in the chilly air of spring, even through the glove. Something about the grip of his fingers felt off, almost too tight. Varian shook his head slightly- the stress must have been getting to him. 

“Hah, yeah I already knew that one.” Merrick laughed. “Not gunna lie- _everyone’s_ heard about the lost Bayan prince finally coming home.”

Varian could feel his jaw clench. “Yeah, well.” He grunted, looking away and down into the garden. “It wasn’t much fun on my end. How’d you even know who I am, anyways?”

Varian was expecting the usual answer- _you look so much like Aldred_ \- and felt his hands clench in anticipation. Merrick pursed his lips for a second, a thoughtful look crossing his face. “Well,” He shrugged, “It’s the stripe, right?” He gestured to Varian’s hair. “All the Bayan royals have it after one of their ancestors betrayed the High Mage, Cyrillus- and of course everyone in Bayangor heard about King Aldred’s lost son being found. It was the talk of the country for weeks.”

Varian… wasn’t expecting that answer. 

“I- what?” Varian stuttered, turning to Merrick, who leaned back with an easy grin against the banister. Something in his relaxed stance put Varian at ease; the more casual way that this _Merrick_ spoke and acted was a blessed break from the stuffiness of the nobles that the alchemist had been dealing with all night. 

“I’m from Bayangor- though my family’s from the Wildshore Isles.” Merrick said, green eyes alight. “Travelled all over the place… Learned a lot, saw a lot; still found myself coming home, more often than not. Your father might not have cared for his people, but we’re loyal to our country.”

“He wasn’t my father.” Varian snapped. He regretted it the minute it was out of his mouth, but Merrick only put his hands up in a placating gesture.

“Okay, daddy issues, _got it_.” He grinned, before leaning close to Varian with a conspiratorial look. “Wanna see something fun?”

Varian, despite himself, couldn’t help it- the curiosity was too much. The party had been so boring- he was aching for anything that wasn’t _seals._ And Rapunzel _had_ said he needed to make friends… maybe he could start here?

“Yeah, alright.” Varian agreed, watching with a muted interest as Merrick brought up his cigar between them with a flourish. Varian raised an eyebrow, putting on an expectant look. Even if Merrick was just as flouncy and showy as the rest of the nobility, at least he seemed to be willing to have a little fun. With a grin the brunette brought up the other hand, the one not holding the cigar, and quickly took his glove off. In the same movement, the older teen snapped his fingers, the noise ringing. Varian startled as a small flame sprung to life, hovering over the taller teen’s bare fingers.

Suddenly this has gotten _very_ interesting.

“Wait, what- _how_?” Varian asked, honestly curious. He was leaning forwards before his mind could catch up, watching with fascination as the fire burned just that little bit brighter above bare fingers. Merrick used the flame to light his cigar with a smug smile. Varian was so distracted by the flame in front of him, he didn’t notice how Merrick’s toxic green eyes flicked up to the glass door with a dark look before snapping back to the boy in front of him, the expression melting away as quickly as it had appeared.

“My family’s always had a magical inclination.” The brunette said smugly, “Call it an heirloom, at this point.”

Varian blinked as the flame surged for a second before flickering out of existence. He could feel the curiosity bubbling up, a welcome feeling after the misery of the evening’s party. It reminded Varian of the first time he’d ever seen the power of Rapunzel’s hair, that sheer sense of wonder at seeing that technically broke the modern laws of science-

A sudden scream and the sound of breaking glass from inside the ballroom broke Varian’s train of thought, the boy’s head whipping around towards the door. His eyes widened in fear when he saw large, black figures chasing people around the ballroom. Varian started to move before he could think, turning to run towards the door. He was stopped by a gloved hand on his upper arm. Varian was forced back towards Merrick, who’s expression had turned into something near smug.

“Sorry, I think I forgot to mention-” Merrick’s smile sharpened into a smirk, “-we’re kinda crashing your party.”

Varian felt his heart stop as the grip got all the tighter, almost bruising as Merrick dragged Varian back towards him. The screaming from the ballroom got louder and louder, as did the clanging of swords and- _fire_?! Varian could see the figures of guards fighting through the frosted glass of the doors, could see the flickering of light of flames spreading a bright orange light across the glass. Varian panicked, frantically trying to pull his arm from Merrick’s grip. The taller teen grinned once more, something nearly feral, before bringing up his other hand and snapping once again.

The world went sickeningly sideways, Varian’s sense of direction going screwball as there was a sudden _crack_ of energy, his vision blurring for a split second before-

They weren’t on the balcony anymore.

Varian had slammed his eyes shut at the feeling of nausea that overcame him, but when they opened again, he didn’t see the balcony, nor the garden, nor the night sky above. Instead he saw the ballroom- like he’d been moved through space in the blink of an eye. Varian groaned at the feeling of his stomach revolting at the feeling of being… _effectively_ _teleported what the actual_ -

“Oops,” Merrick’s voice was soft in Varian’s ear, “Should have warned you, your first jump is always the worst one.”

First jump? What did that even mean? Probably some stupid magic thing- it was always _goddamn magic_ , wasn’t it? Varian was a man of science, damn it, and he was increasingly becoming more and more fed up with magic just as a concept, because _every time_ he ran into it-

“Varian!” He heard Rapunzel’s panicked voice, the noise jostling the boy from the feeling of sickness that had washed over him. He tried to pull himself from Merrick’s grip once more, violently tugging his arm in an attempt to escape. The grip didn’t break, however- if anything it tightened. Varian was spun around, held tightly to the taller teen’s chest. A knife brought itself up under his chin, and Varian stilled immediately. His eyes went wide, scanning the ruined ballroom for his sister.

The ballroom was burning. The room was torn apart, as if by a hurricane- the many tables were overturned and scattered to bits across the cracked tile floors. Glass shards littered the floor, shining in the occasional pool of ruby red blood. Bodies lay strewn between the debris, many of them still actively bleeding onto the floor. Varian felt something in him scream in terror, the boy shrinking back from the gory sight. Large warriors- at least fifty of them!- were fighting with the last of the guards, the Coronians caught off guard by the sudden onslaught and unprepared for such a force within their own castle. Guests and servants alike ran through the chaos, screaming and coughing through the smoke as the fire began to reach the wooden parts of the castle. Varian had no idea where the king and queen had gone, he could only hope they’d gotten away- _someone_ needed to make it out of the anarchy, after all, and it was obvious it wasn’t going to be Varian this go around.

This wasn’t shaping up to be a particularly good birthday at _all_.

“Well, hey-howdy, Princess.” Varian could hear the smile in Merrick’s voice, even as the smaller teen tried in vain to lean away from the knife at his throat. “I think I found something outside that belongs to you.”

Varian finally picked Rapunzel out through the panicking crowd, seeing her shocked face dip into fear briefly before dropping into a scowl. _Not again_ , Varian thought with a small groan. This was achingly familiar, being used as a human shield while his sister stared on in horror. The alchemist tried to steer his memories away from roaring winds and pink tourmaline, trying to ground himself. Rapunzel’s face scrunched in anger, her eyes never leaving Varian’s as the ballroom around them descended into chaos. Flames ate away at the banners near the ceiling, burning pieces dropped onto the bloodstained tiles of the ballroom. Varian winced at the sight, trying to wiggle his way free. The knife came a little closer to his throat, a cold threat that contrasted the overly warm hand on his arm.

“Let him go.” Rapunzel was using her _scary_ voice; Varian shuddered on principle. “ _Now_.”

“See, I don’t think I will.” Merrick shot back, “I just need a super quick, itsy-bitsy little audience with your dear old dad, and then me and princey here have a to take a little trip.”

Varian, though it felt impossible, tensed further at the implication. He could see Rapunzel’s anger in her eye, her hands twitching- probably looking for her frying pan, if Varian had to guess. All of them had left their weapons behind- hell even Ruddiger had been banished for the sake of _high society_ , something Varian was very much regretting at this point in time.

“Not a chance.” Rapunzel spat, “Now _let. Him. Go._ ” 

Merrick pretended to think about it, idly tapping the knife against Varian’s windpipe.

“Problem is,” He started casually, as if Rapunzel had just asked him for a small favour, “I just kinda... can’t do that? Not to be _annoying_ \- but I have some business with this one,” He shook Varian roughly, “And it really can’t wait, _sorry_!” Merrick pitched his voice high and nasally at the last word, as if making fun of Rapunzel’s chirpy nature. She scowled- Varian’s head spun from the smoke. Rapunzel’s lone form swam a little in the heat, the smoke growing thicker… but- _wait_ \- 

If Rapunzel was alone, then where was Eugene? Varian’s eyes darted around the ballroom, already well versed in how the royal couple liked to play these games- one would run distraction, the other would attack from behind. Varian had seen it enough times, hell he’d _fought_ them enough times, to know the pattern. He held his breath, trying to listen past Merrick making his demands, and sure enough he could hear the quiet steps of leather boots on the tiles. Varian waited for another second, snaking his free hand up and preparing to grab the hand holding the knife to his throat.

The steps were just a little louder, any second…

Varian grunted as he shoved at the arm roughly, managing to get the knife away from his neck just as Eugene jumped Merrick from behind and broke the older teenager’s hold on the alchemist. The boy scrambled away as the two older men began to fight, running for Rapunzel like a man on fire. She grabbed him the minute he was close, borderline snatching him to her in an instinctual panic. Her arms closed around Varian tightly, pulling him close. He returned the embrace, even as she spun them and forced him to back away from a small group of Merrick’s men that had leapt to their leader’s defense. Neither of them had any weapons, this was supposed to be _safe,_ goddamn it-

Eugene managed to back Merrick off from where he’d tried to follow Varian, the older man deftly placing himself between the boy and his attacker. Merrick snarled, bringing his bare hand up with a violent gesture. Fire spang up from his fingers, larger and more intense than it had been before, a blazing inferno that was nearly two feet of solid flame. Eugene jumped back as Merrick swung his hand in a wide arc, the flames dancing terrifyingly close to the man’s jacket. Varian felt Rapunzel’s hands clench tighter in his jacket as the flames died down, leaving Eugene to block a surprise swing from Merrick’s sword.

Merrick was thrown back a little, his weight slighter than Eugene’s. He took another swing, but this time the older man was able to side step and parry, the man’s bluted ceremonial sword roughly cut through the air. Merrick seemed unprepared for it, throwing up an arm. Varian cringed, waiting for the inevitable sound of metal cutting through skin-

Only to hear a sharp _clang_!

Everyone in the near vicinity stopped at the noise- Eugene stumbled back as his sword bounced off of Merrick’s arm, having sliced through the jacket. Varian’s eyes went wide as Merrick stood up a little straighter, shaking out the arm Eugene had just hit; Varian caught just the slightest shine of something metallic under the torn fabric of the teenager’s jacket.

“Aw, shit.” Merrick muttered, uncaring as the Coronians backed off just a bit. “You know, this is what I get for wearing a nice jacket to the kidnapping- my fault, really. Don’t know what I was thinking! _Honestly_ , amatuer hour!” 

With no small amount of flourish, the brunette tore the rest of the jacket’s sleeve off, revealing- 

Varian felt his brain short circuit. 

From the elbow down, Merrick’s arm was replaced with an almost intricate looking mechanical prosthetic of iron and leather. A series of interlocking plates made up the fingers and wrist, with larger armoured pieces on the arm itself. The place where it connected to skin had obviously been healed for a long time, scarred and gnarly- it looked like the original limb had been violently torn off long ago. A thick dent remained where Eugene’s sword had made contact, at least a half inch deep in the steel.

Merrick rolled his shoulder again- the arm clicked with the delicate sound of metal on metal, just audible over the flames. There was something near feral in his eyes, the glint of flames reflecting in toxic green.

“Give me the kid.” He said, any sense of teasing long gone. He raised his non-mechanical hand, snapping his fingers- 

Rapunzel’s grip on Varian only tightened when Merrick suddenly disappeared from thin air with a loud _crack_ , leaving Eugene alone and confused in the middle of the burning ballroom. There was a beat of silence, all three of the Coronians whirling around trying to find their missing adversary as the fire burned around them. Castle guards were still wrestling with Merrick’s men, many of the Coronian forces being overtaken by the sheer number of enemies. Varian shuddered, unconsciously clinging tighter to Rapunzel as she backed them away from the fighting. Varian could see a sudden twist of the air behind Eugene, warping almost like how the air directly above a fire seemed to shimmer. There was another _crack_ , nearly deafening as it rang through the large, empty space, and suddenly Merrick was _there_ , as if he’d stepped out from behind a curtain only he could see.

“Look out!” The boy screamed, spurring Eugene to turn around. The man only just was able to parry a vicious swing of a sword at his face, Eugene letting out a yelp as the blades got dangerously close to his nose.

“Not the face!” The man yelled, using the little leverage he had to push Merrick back. The younger of them snarled, trying once again to weave around Eugene. Varian caught a glimpse of toxic green eyes, feral and _angry_ as they glared at him.

“ _That_ little shit _owes me!_ ” Merrick spat, “His family has to _pay-_ ”

There was another _crack_ as Merrick disappeared into the air once again, only a small plume of smoke left behind. Eugene spun around as he scanned the burning ruins of the ballroom, holding out a hand towards Rapunzel and Varian.

“We should move!” The man said, locking eyes with Rapunzel. She nodded, borderline dragging Varian with her as she ran for Eugene. There was another sharp _crack_ , like someone had snapped a large branch, and suddenly there was a rough hand around Varian’s arm.

“Sorry, but I’m not done with you- not yet.” Merrick grinned as he tried to drag Varian away from Rapunzel. The older teenager brought up his flesh hand, a series of sparks flying out and hitting Varian dead in the face. For a split second Varian could swear he felt almost _tired_ \- the sudden urge to sleep near infectious... 

The alchemist shook himself, reality snapping back into place. Varian felt himself roughly pulled between Rapunzel and Merrick, the boy trying in vain to tug himself free as the panic began to climb from his chest and into his throat-

Rapunzel let out a furious yell as she pulled Varian away from Merrick roughly, her other hand coming up in a closed fist to slam into Merrick’s face in a solid punch. The grip holding Varian fell away, Merrick letting out a pained yell and stumbling back, holding his nose. Varian let out a little noise of shock, but felt Rapunzel’s hand in his tugging him along- and like that Rapunzel, Eugene, and Varian were sprinting from the burning ballroom, leaving the chaos behind them. 

Varian just barely heard Merrick scream for someone to chase after them, only catching the smallest glimpse of toxic green eyes and a nose dripping crimson blood before he was pulled from the ballroom and into the halls of Corona castle. Rapunzel’s hand was tight in his own as they ran, the fire having spread from the ballroom and into the castle properly. Varian’s eyes watered from the smoke, the boy coughing roughly as the thick soot forced its way into his lungs. Eugene led them further from the ballroom, the air clearing the farther away they got.

With the ballroom safely behind them they slowed slightly, taking the time to breathe and save their energy while they had it. They didn’t stop, couldn’t think of it while Merrick’s men prowled the halls still, but they at least could slow from a sprint to a jog.

“Nice punch, sunshine!” Eugene laughed, vaulting over an upturned table in the hallway. The halls of Corona castle flew past them, Rapunzel’s hand firm in Varian’s. Rapunzel grinned, but her face sank into a wince. She shook her dainty hand quickly, gritting her teeth.

“ _Ouch_ ,” She said, “How did Cass make it look so easy?”

Varian let out a panicked laugh at that, but it quickly turned into a startled cry as one of the doors in front of them exploded outwards, flying into the hall and slamming into the wall with a loud _bang_. Eugene threw an arm out to protect Varian and Rapunzel as the wooden door exploded on impact with the wall, splinters and metal pieces going flying in every direction. A large man stepped out from the room, dressed in the same long coats and red sash as the rest of Merrick’s men had worn. He fixed Varian with a look, his gaunt face splitting into a predatory grin when the boy shied away. Rapunzel pushed Varian backwards as Eugene leapt forwards to put himself between his wife and the attacker, his decorative, ceremonial sword blunt and effectively useless.

Bless him, he tried anyways.

The two men circled a bit, Eugene clearly on the defensive. Rapunzel pushed Varian backwards, up against a wall. She grabbed a surprisingly intact vase from the floor, the table it was on having toppled over in the chaos, and threw it with a cry, whipping the vase at a high speed towards their assailant’s head. He swiped at it with his sword, the vase shattering into a thousand pieces that continued to fly directly into his face. The man yowled in pain as the glass shredded at his skin, blindly swinging his sword in haphazard arcs. All three of the Coronians were forced to back away as the man got his bearings, taking another swing at Eugene. The brunette tried to block it, but his blunted sword snapped in two at the impact of the blow, having been damaged in the fight with Merrick. Eugene grimaced, looking at the shattered blade with dismay. He backed up towards Rapunzel and Varian quickly, still trying to shield them with his own body.

“Just give us the kid.” Merrick’s man growled, aggressively moving forwards. “No one else needs to die here.”

The three Coronians retreated as far as they could, Eugene brandishing his broken sword like it would do anything to stop the man descending on them. Varian felt Rapunzel’s hands dig into his arms, nearly painful with how tightly she was grabbing him. The fire had caught up to them, the smoke spilling through the halls and enveloping them all in a grey haze. It was starting to hurt Varian’s lungs, a sort of burn that came from within and forced him to cough, only making it worse. 

The man in front of them raised his sword high, Rapunzel let out a small scream as it was brought down upon them. Eugene threw his arms out to cover his family, and Rapunzel clutched Varian as tightly to her as she could. Varian buried his face into her shoulder, gritting his teeth against the inevitable pain that awaited them-

There was a sudden pained cry, a _thump,_ and then silence.

There was a tense beat before Varian chanced looking up, peeking away from Rapunzel’s shoulder with apprehension. His eyes widened with shock when he saw Arianna, covered in soot and blood that obviously wasn’t her own, wielding a sword and gasping for breath as she brought it down once again on the prone body of their attacker. The man let out a choked gurgle of blood and gasping air, quickly going limp on the floor as Arianna swung again; her sword buried itself in his prone neck with a sickeningly wet noise. The rancid, coppery stench of fresh blood filled the smoky air as Arianna huffed for breath through the smoke. Her perfect hair was in disarray, a stray piece falling over her face and getting stuck in the gory splatter of ruby that coated her left cheek. Her green eyes were wide, wild and _angry_ as they reflected the fire that was eating away at her home. When she caught sight of the three in front of her, she rushed forwards, her bloodstained hands reaching up towards her family.

“Are you okay?!” She asked frantically, dropping her weapon in favour of first grabbing at Eugene’s face, tilting it in every direction before moving onto Rapunzel. Varian backed off as Rapunzel was forced to let him go, shifting awkwardly away from the Queen and her daughter. Arianna was having none of it, however, and once she was done looking over Rapunzel she lunged towards Varian with just as much vigor.

Varian tensed when her hands met his cheeks, the woman frantically looking into his wide eyes as she moved his head just as she had with the others’. She scanned the boy for injury, refusing to let go even as he began to squirm. She used the pad of her thumb to rub at some soot on Varian’s cheek, hastily trying to clean it away.

“You need to get to safety.” Arianna said, finally content with cleaning Varian’s face and instead pulling him into a hug. He stiffly brought his arms up to return the embrace, awkwardly putting his hands on her upper back as she did her level best to squeeze the life out of him. She held on for another second or so, before gently letting go and scooping up her sword again. The corpse of the man was steadily leaking blood, a large pool of liquid ruby staining the white tiles. Arianna seemed nonplussed, wiping the blade on her skirt. It left a harrowing looking splash of red on the purple fabric. Varian felt his head spin.

“We can’t just _leave_!” Rapunzel argued, “Running away won’t solve anything.”

“You can and you will.” Said a heavy voice behind them. _Frederic_ , Varian realized, looking over his shoulder as the large man walked past them to stand near his wife. The silver glint of the man’s sword was stopped only by a thick trail of blood that stained the blade. The man reached out to his daughter, quickly hugging her close before clapping a hand on Eugene’s shoulder. Frederic looked to Varian for a brief moment before looking towards the elder of his children.

“It’s obvious who they’re here for.” The King declared; his eyes bored into Rapunzel’s. “I want you two to get Varian as far away from Corona as you can.”

Varian felt something in him sink, right down through the floor and into the dirt. It was one thing to hear from your enemies that you were their target, it was another to hear that information from what could be considered an ally. Varian shuddered, looking down to the corpse of the man in front of them. Arianna had _killed him_ , chopped him down like he was nothing-

“We’re not leaving you.” Eugene said. Frederic grunted, idly flipping his sword around and holding the handle out to the man.

“Captain.” He said bluntly. “I am telling you to protect my children. Take Varian out of the city, even the country if you can. _That’s an order_.”

Eugene seemed to stutter for a second, trying to find a way to say no- but eventually grit his teeth. “Yes, your highness.” He finally said, taking the sword’s handle and drawing it close. The man idly tested the weight of it, before looking towards Varian with a forced grin. “Whaddaya say, kid?” Eugene asked, “Feel like going on a road trip? Team awesome style?”

“We’re _not_ running away.” Rapunzel reiterated, glaring at her parents. The king passed her a cast iron skillet, drawing it from a fabric bag near his side. Varian hadn’t noticed it until then, the small bag covered by the man’s large bulk, but from the clinking of glass within he had an idea of what Frederic had been up to while they had been dealing with Merrick.

“You _have to_.” Arianna said, fixing Rapunzel with a look. “If not for your own safety than for Varian’s.” The boy could feel himself shift awkwardly as they argued around him, trying to interject- they were just _talking_ over him, like he wasn’t even there!- Varian frantically looked between the bickering adults, his hands awkwardly clenched together. If they’d just let him _speak_ -

“This isn’t a _negotiation_!” Frederic finally boomed. Everyone went quiet; Varian shrank into Rapunzel’s shadow. “They’re here for Varian. It doesn’t matter how they got here or why they want him, whatever it is… it can’t be good. We need him as far away from them as possible, and I don’t trust anyone else to be able to deal with these people on their own!”

Rapunzel paused, her hands freezing halfway through an angry gesture. Varian felt himself shrink as she looked at him. Her green eyes were wide, laced with so much fear it unsettled something in him. It was one thing if Varian was scared, hell he was scared of basically everything after Bayangor, but to see _Rapunzel_ so close to cracking...

It was enough to make Varian feel infinitesimally small.

Rapunzel adjusted her grip on her frying pan, as if debating. There was a pause, the smoke growing heavier in the air. They were running out of time, they had to make their move; if they didn’t get going soon, they’d all burn alive.

“Alright.” Rapunzel said, her tone pained. “But once he’s somewhere safe I’m turning around and coming back to help.”

“We’ll be fine.” Arianna said, subtly toying with the weight of the sword in her hands. “You just worry about getting out-”

There was a sudden _crack,_ the noise cutting the queen off. Varian felt his heart skip a beat, already diving away as he felt a sudden ghost of heat behind him. He spun around, only just seeing a glimpse of toxic green eyes before Merrick disappeared again, popping Varian’s ears from how close he was to the sudden pocket of airless void created by the teleportation. All four of the adults were already moving, Eugene grabbing Varian by the wrist and starting to drag him along the hallway; the man only just managed to snatch the bag Frederic tossed at him. Varian got one last look at Arianna and Frederic- the two of them back to back and silhouetted by the roaring flames behind them, weapons drawn and expressions grim- before he was tugged around the corner and out of sight.

He heard the sharp noises of steel on steel behind them, wincing when a shout of pain rang through the halls. Eugene didn’t slow down, and Varian was pulled down the winding halls of the castle. He could barely keep up with the adults, both of them near sprinting through the thick blanket of smoke and ash.

“Where are we even going?” Varian gasped, his lungs burning from the rush. Screams carried through the open windows of Corona castle, the crackling of flames getting louder and louder. The heat was beginning to get smothering; every time they’d finally managed to outrun one patch of fire, they ended up right in the middle of another. Varian coughed roughly, his steps faltering as he was dragged along like a child’s toy. Eugene didn’t seem amicable to stopping, but he did, thankfully, at least answer.

“The tunnels.” Eugene said quietly. The man pressed his back up against a corner, peeking around and confirming the hallway beyond was quiet. It was, and Eugene marched forwards with a relieved grin, still dragging Varian behind him. Rapunzel followed behind the two boys, frying pan in hand as they snuck through the bottom story of the castle. They were near the kitchens, Varian realized, deep in the very basement of Corona castle. He recognized the large doors as they drew closer- he’d spent many small adventures with Rapunzel and Eugene breaking into the kitchens to pinch snacks off the unsuspecting cooks. Eugene went into the large room first, slipping in before waving Rapunzel and Varian in. They snuck into the kitchen quietly, peeking around the dark space. It was near silent, the only thing making any sort of noise was the roaring of the fire beyond the window. It was strange to see the kitchens so quiet, it was usually a hub of activity for servants and other staff alike- everyone milling in and out in a constant stream. Varian stared out one of the small windows with a blank face, nearly numb as he watched the city outside fall to chaos. The flames flung orange light through the small windows; Varian’s heart was stuck in his throat.

_All for me_ , he thought with a grimace.

Eugene and Rapunzel moved quickly as Varian was struck still by the sight of flames. The two adults moved like clockwork, quickly raiding the abandoned kitchen for provisions and other supplies. They tossed things into the bag given to them by Frederic, the thing about the size of a duffel bag. Eugene rooted through it quickly, pulling out Varian’s alchemy belt and handing it to the teen. Varian took it gratefully, slipping in on as he kept looking out as Corona burned. It wasn’t just the castle, it seemed; Varian could catch sight of the lower town on fire as well. It was horrifying, he could hear the panicked screaming of the townspeople over the roaring of flames, high and reedy in the winds.

He was distracted by a small scuffling noise coming from a nearby barrel. Rapunzel and Eugene both paused, Rapunzel’s hands already reaching out for Varian. The alchemist didn’t go to her, however, instead reaching towards the lip of the barrel and peeking over the lip.

Varian let out a small cry of surprise as a blur of black and grey fur launched from the barrel, nearly knocking the alchemist over. Eugene and Rapunzel yelled too, but stopped when Varian’s yell turned into laughter. 

“Ruddiger!” The boy gasped, hugging his beloved pet close, “Oh, bud am I glad to see you!” 

The raccoon chittered the same sentiments back, wrapping his little arms around Varian in a semblance of a hug. Varian buried his face into grey fur, taking comfort in Ruddiger’s heartbeat and happy noises. Something in him calmed at having his pet with him, the boy just a little more confident with his friend by his side. Varian took a deep breath in, finally looking away from the window.

“Varian.” He heard Rapunzel say softly, her hand gently settling between his shoulder blades. “Varian, we have to go.”

Varian only nodded, following her towards the dead, massive fireplace near the back wall. Eugene was already there, poking and prodding at the large stones that made up the large mantle. With a small _ha,_ he pressed one of the stones inwards, the limestone sinking into the wall with a small _thunk-click_ that echoed through the room. The back of the fireplace slid open silently, revealing an unlit passage behind it. Eugene stood a little taller, holding out a hand. Rapunzel silently passed him the bag, her other hand using its place on Varian’s back to corral him forwards. Varian hadn’t even known the tunnels had an entrance in the kitchen, he’d been working in the Demanitus chamber for _years_ and he’d never even known-

“Okay kids, family vacation time.” Eugene muttered as Rapunzel and Varian passed him. The man followed once they were all in the hidden passage, stepping in and releasing the trigger stone. With a small grinding noise of rock on rock the doorway sealed up behind them. They were plunged into an inky darkness, the three of them tensing as they waited for any sort of noise. They stayed in the dark for longer than was probably necessary, all of them holding their breath with a tense sort of air.

“I think we’re safe.” Rapunzel finally whispered after what felt like years. Varian numbly pulled one of his vials from his belt, shaking it and bathing them in a soft, blue light. Varian could see the gaunt faces of his friends in the light, both of them looking morbidly resigned as they began to walk through the dark tunnels.

“We’ll head for Old Corona,” Eugene said softly, still unwilling to break the sudden hush that had fallen over them. “Bunk there for the night, then move on in the morning.”

Rapunzel was nodding, but Varian didn’t respond. He looked down to the light in his hands in shock, wondering how things could have gone so _wrong_ so quickly. He idly stretched his shoulders, uncomfortable in his jacket- and hadn’t that seemed like the end of the world, a mere few hours ago. Varian felt Rapunzel gently take the glowing vial from his clenched hands, holding it as she followed Eugene. With nothing else to hold on to, Varian found his hands moving towards his arms, hugging himself in an attempt to self-sooth.

It didn’t work.

Varian could feel the panic clawing up in his throat, a hungry thing that was threatening to swallow him whole. Eugene led them through the tunnels, the three of them wincing with every muffled explosion from the world above. The tunnels shook with every _bang_ , dust and stones raining down in a cloud. They walked for nearly half an hour, the silence between then growing more and more awkward the further they got. Varian’s grip on his arms grew tighter, nearly bruising as he tried to push the panic down. His nails dug into his arms, deeper and deeper the further into the earth they walked.

Soon enough they came to a small hatch, long past the entrance to the Demanitus chamber but long before Old Corona’s section of the tunnels. There was a worn iron ladder reaching upwards, embedded into the rock and leading up to a small trapdoor.

“We can get out here.” Eugene said, “I don’t think the Old Corona entrances will work anymore, probably too damaged.”

The man waited for Rapunzel to nod before scaling up the ladder. Eugene grunted as he shoved at the wooden trapdoor up top, gently cracking it open and peering out into the gloom. He slowly climbed up through the door, a few twigs and stones falling in after him. Varian went up next, the iron cold and rusting under his gloves. Ruddiger was a solid weight on his shoulders, the raccoon was quiet and still to keep from falling. Varian broke up through the trapdoor, greedily gulping down fresh air like a man starved, crawling out onto the forest floor beyond the door. 

Varian took the chance to look around, seeing they were in the forests across the main bridge to the city. He ignored the sounds of Rapunzel following him up the ladder, instead opting to look out over the oddly still water.

The once shining city of Corona burned before him.

Varian felt the horror of it take him, staring out as the city was consumed with flames. Corona burned like a funeral pyre, bright and terrible and _sad_. Screams echoed, high pitched and so, so quiet from across the lake. Varian looked with wide eyes as the mist rising from the late-night chill was painted orange and red by the fire. The boy felt himself trembling, shaking as the panic drew up higher and higher in his chest.

“Oh, Varian.” Came Rapunzel’s soft voice. When she turned him away from the city, she wiped at his damp cheeks. Varian gasped through the tears that had sprung up so suddenly, agonized sobs clawed out of his chest as he watched his home burn. It was ironic, they’d burned Barviel Keep to the ground nearly two years ago to the day- and here was Corona, meeting the same fate.

Rapunzel’s soft hands turned him away from the sight of the ransacked city, pressing his face into her shoulder. He sobbed into her dress, clinging tight. Rapunzel buried her face into his hair, unable to watch the fire herself. Eugene drew them both into his arms, wrapping tightly around them as if he could block out the horrors of their city’s burning corpse.

In the distance, Corona crumbled to ash. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we have now, officially, kicked off!! Let's get this party started!!
> 
> Just so you know, I have a tumblr over [here](https://littlemisslol-fic.tumblr.com/), and the spotify playlist for this fic is [here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5Q5cXgyYtiTEJ8RdxFWqWO?si=WyhQ6Ch-R6mKqnzxarh8bw)!!


	3. The Ash in the Air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Game plans are made; trouble brews on the horizon.

They’d been walking for hours.

Varian shivered in the chilly spring air, the cold of the evening well and set in as the moon rose higher in the sky. The thin linen of his long-sleeved shirt barely did anything to keep the cold out, and the vest was nothing more than one more thin layer. Rapunzel wasn’t faring much better, shuddering a little as she marched next to Varian with a determined look on her face. The last time Varian had seen her face like that, screwed up in such focus and stiff drive, had been when they had fought Zhan Tiri all those years ago. It had been so long, it almost felt like a previous life.

Eugene was the only one faring alright in the cold- his jacket may have been ceremonial but at least it was an actual _layer_ \- though even he was starting to get a little stiff in the way he walked as the cold started to eat away at his joints.

Varian shivered again as a strong gust of wind blew past them, clutching his arms tightly around himself to try and preserve heat. Ruddiger curled tighter around his neck, trying to warm them both. It was only another ten minutes to Old Corona; he could make it-

Rapunzel’s face was kind as she held out an arm to him. 

Varian nearly tackled her as he snuggled close, nearly wrapping himself around her in an attempt to get warmer. He felt a sad smile pressed into the crown of his head. Rapunzel had always run warmer, less so now that she was no longer the Sundrop’s host- but still _warm_. Varian was quietly delighted to be allowed to share the heat. Rapunzel tucked him close, the two of them walking in step down the dirt sideroad Eugene was leading them down. It was deeper into the woods than Varian was used to- he was always told by his dad to never stray from the main road between the city and home. _All kinds of ruffians and thugs out there_ , Quirin had always said, _better safe than sorry_.

Varian finally felt his teeth stop chattering.

“What are we going to do when we reach Old Corona?” Varian asked quietly. They’d been near quiet for the past three hours- Varian was the first to speak since Eugene had pulled them away from watching their home burn. The man paused, stopping and turning to face the boy under his care.

“Well,” The man said, nervously tapping a finger on the leather hilt of Frederic’s sword. “We’ll start with finding somewhere to hide for the night, then get as many supplies as we can without getting spotted tomorrow, and after that… I’m not quite sure.” Eugene’s face fell a bit at that. “We’ll get you somewhere safe; we’ll definitely have to leave the country if this Merrick guy’s as strong as he seems-”

“What?” Varian asked, startled. “What do you mean _out of the country_?”

Eugene quirked a brow, his worried gaze looking above Varian’s head to Rapunzel. Varian couldn’t see her expression, but he could feel her frown on the top of his head.

“Dad said to get you out of Corona.” Rapunzel said grimly, “So that’s what we’re going to do.”

Varian paused for a second. Looked to Eugene. Looked up to Rapunzel, the angle awkward. Looked back to Eugene. Paused.

“When the _hell_ did we start listening to him?” Varian asked, voice full of offense.

Eugene barked out a laugh. Rapunzel pressed a smile into the crown of his head, but Varian was still puzzled. Why would they run? The people of Corona needed them, just as they had with Zhan Tiri- the city was _burning,_ and they were just going to run away?!

“We aren’t listening so much as we are taking his advice.” Eugene shrugged, moving forwards along the path. Varian could see ash fall from his jacket as he moved. “Seeing as he’s right this time.”

“We can’t just _leave_!” Varian argued, pulling away from Rapunzel. His freezing body missed her warmth, but he refused to back down. Eugene huffed out a frustrated sigh, stopping again and spinning around. Rapunzel joined at his side, the two of them staring Varian down. “I thought we were going to Old Corona to get something that could help, supplies, I don’t know- but you want to keep running afterwards? After everything they did to help us you two want to just _run_?!”

“If it keeps you safe, then _yes_.” Eugene shot back. “Kid- _Varian,_ they were there for you! Not me, not Rapunzel, _you_.”

Varian flinched a little at his aggravated tone. It wasn’t often that people got snappy with him, even less often that someone actually had the balls to _yell_ \- Rapunzel tensed next to her husband. Varian didn’t back down, if anything getting more and more aggressive. He couldn’t just abandon the people of Corona for his own safety- it wasn’t fair for them to suffer for Varian’s problems. 

“We have to go back!” Varian yelled, “There are people back there that need our help- it doesn’t matter who they’re after, those people burned our home to the _ground_!” Rapunzel flinched, but Varian kept going. “What about your parents?” He demanded of her, “What about Stan, and Pete, a-and Xavier, and-”

Varian’s voice cracked, overcome with the force of his emotions. “What about everyone else?” He whispered, shivering under the light of the moon. “Don’t they matter?” 

“Of course they do.” Rapunzel was immediate in her assurance. “Of _course_ they do- but they’re also not walking around with a target on their back. Varian, please, let us handle this.” Her voice was desperate, begging- Varian hated hearing her like this. But as much as he was scared, as much as _she_ was scared, it wasn’t right of them to just abandon their home for Varian’s safety alone. It was selfish; Varian was the reason Corona was under siege, the reason the city had fallen, was the great stupid _target_ by virture of being Aldred’s heir. As much as he hated it, that was the reason they had been attacked. Aldred’s legacy had come back to haunt Varian like a vengeful spirit. It wasn’t enough Varian was haunted by the face in the mirror, or the name, or the _thought_ , of the man- Aldred’s history was following his bloodline like a curse. 

Varian couldn’t help but think of the stripe in his hair. _Family curse indeed- but the family is the curse._

“It’s not right.” He said. The wind nearly took the words, almost ripped them away before Varian could get them out. 

Eugene and Rapunzel slumped a bit, looking at each other for support. There was a beat, the two adults seeming to come to an unspoken agreement. Varian looked between them, searching for any shred of sense- one person wasn’t worth abandoning their home, no matter who it was. His hopes were dashed when the princess looked back to Varian with a somber expression. 

“It’s what has to be done.” Rapunzel finally said. “We have to keep you safe. Whatever it takes- I _won’t_ let anything else happen to you. Now, c’mon.” She turned and started walking, leaving both Varian and Eugene to watch her retreating back. “We’re almost to Old Corona. We need to find somewhere hidden for the night.” 

Eugene watched his wife walk away for a moment before turning to Varian and holding out a hand. “Alright kid, let’s get you out of the cold.” He said, smiling softly as Varian took the offered hand. It was childish, but it did make him feel better. Eugene’s hand was tight in his, the man slowly pulling him along.

They made it to Old Corona in record time. 

It was strange to be back, to see the fixed houses and rebuilt farms- to see the wreckage where his house once stood cleared away and nearly mixed in with the farmland around it. It had been nearly five years, Varian knew this, and yet he had been so convinced that if he ever returned to Old Corona he’d return to the exact same town he’d left behind- the village trapped in stasis for as long as he ignored it. Varian wasn’t sure if he was relieved or concerned that things had changed so much. The earth had slowly claimed any remembrance of automatons and black rock and _amber_ that had once been so prevalent around the area- and time had slowly begun to wipe away the evidence. 

The cold seeped deeper into Varian’s bones the closer they got to his old home, the tall grasses and the startings of saplings already covering the large stones and massive beams that had once made up the leader’s house in Old Corona. Varian didn’t know who led the townspeople now- he’d never had the strength to come back, let alone think of it- but surely someone had stepped up and taken Quirin’s place. 

Time made corpses of them all, it seemed. 

They drew close to where the earth dipped down into something of a gentle pit, like a crater long since eroded and left to fill in; the sides were a soft slope of rich earth and overgrown grass. It took Varian longer than it should to figure out that this was the ruins of his old basement laboratory, totally given to the elements and left to sink into the earth.

Eugene’s hand was firm in his own, but it did nothing to stop the chill festering deep in Varian’s gut. Rapunzel muttered something to herself, scooping up a large stick from the dirt and idly poking around with it, pressing roughly into the soft earth with a thoughtful expression. She did this multiple times, tapping and moving on to a new point.

_Tap-tap_ , and the soft _skritch_ of the earth below. 

Eugene tugged Varian behind him as they followed Rapunzel along the lowest point of the pit, watching as she moved forwards with a calculating process. Varian knew that somewhere under the dirt was the basement laboratory- or at least what was left of it. Varian and Quirin had fished out whatever could be salvaged from their home in the wake of Zhan Tiri- it wasn’t much, but they’d taken whatever they could back to the castle. Below a few inches of dirt were the large stones that had once made up the floors, probably littered with broken glass and other pieces of abandoned equipment left to the wiles of nature.

_Tap-tap, skritch._

Rapunzel moved on, followed by her family. Eugene was tense, Varian could tell from the man’s stiff posture, his head perked high and alert as he scanned for dangers nearby. They’d walked the nearly three hours from the city to Old Corona, but it was obvious they weren’t out of the fire yet- at least to Eugene, it seemed. Varian was feeling too fatigued to keep up with the paranoia, willing to ignore it for the sake of a breath of air that wasn’t half choked in smoke and ash. The boy shivered again, and Eugene squeezed his hand in comfort. The man’s eyes were locked on the horizon, where Varian knew Corona was. He followed Eugene’s gaze, and for a brief moment he could almost see the fire once more, reaching ever higher with creeping fingers into the sky-

_Tap-tap, skritch_.

Varian shuddered in the cold. 

And from something else.

The air was like knives in his lungs, piecing deep with each breath. The cold had only gotten worse the further away from the city they’d gone- the more inland they went the less the water was able to balance out the temperature of early spring- and Varian could feel his teeth chattering. Eugene seemed just as bad, shuddering but trying to stay strong for the two people under his protection. The man caught Varian looking at him, and his previously somber expression flipped up into an easy grin. If Varian wasn’t looking as close as he was, he might even believe it was real. 

“It’s gunna be fine, bud.” Eugene assured him, “We’ll find somewhere safe for the night, and regroup in the morning- hey blondie?” He turned to Rapunzel, “What exactly are you looking for? We should get moving to find shelter.”

Rapunzel didn’t respond, still poking in the dirt with her stick. Eugene’s smile turned just the little more strained, letting go of Varian’s hand to wrap an arm around the boy’s thin shoulders. Varian leaned into the warmth, burying his numb fingers into Eugene’s jacket as a biting gust of wind blew past them.

_Tap-tap._

_Thunk._

“Ah-hah!” Rapunzel grinned, tossing her stick to the side. She knelt down into the dirt, pulling out weeds and digging into the dirt with her bare hands. Eugene and Varian moved to help unconsciously, the three of them pulling away the frozen dirt to reveal a wooden trapdoor, decrepit and filthy from being buried for so long.

“Here we go.” Rapunzel murmured. Now that Varian knew what she had been looking for, he felt stupid he hadn’t thought of it first. The tunnels under Old Corona, the ones that eventually led to the castle, may have been blocked from the castle’s side… but the entrance under Varian’s lab was still perfectly functional.

Rapunzel latched her fingers around a large, circular handle on the center of one side of the trapdoor, yanking on it roughly. Eugene stepped in to help when it refused to budge, the two of them needing to work together to force it open on creaking, dirt crusted hinges. It finally popped open, nearly toppling both adults over with the sudden release of tension, but Rapunzel and Eugene managed to keep their footing as they stumbled back.

Varian’s nose unconsciously scrunched at the smell of musty air rising from the dark tunnel below, already dreading having to go back down under the earth. Rapunzel and Eugene looked just as enthused as Varian felt about going down there, but Eugene was the first to break the awkward silence that had fallen over the three of them.

“Whelp,” He said, turning around to start down the rickety old ladder, “Age before beauty, I suppose.” 

And with that, he was gone, descending into the darkness without a care.

Rapunzel gestured for Varian to go next, her green eyes distant as she scanned the horizon. Varian went without complaint, pulling another vial from his belt and shaking it. He gently handed the vial to Ruddiger, who took it with a curious noise, before slowly climbing down the ladder, allowing the darkness to swallow him whole. 

Varian knew these tunnels like the back of his hand- he’d spent most of his fourteenth year alive skulking around in the labyrinth under Old Corona- namely during the months after Rapunzel had left him to the wolves. He knew them better than the layout of Corona castle, to be honest, the twists and turns felt second nature- like coming home- so when Eugene led them around one corner the alchemist couldn’t help but shudder with a dread that only could come from familiarity. 

The cavern they found themselves in was large, circular. A domed ceiling rose almost twenty feet in the air, a thin stream of moonlight filtering through a small opening near the top. Ruddiger cooed when he saw where they were, dropping off Varian’s shoulders and running into the chamber, stirring up piles of dust around the room. A series of tables and abandoned alchemical equipment was scattered around the room, tools and machine parts and long evaporated chemicals left in beakers.

Varian sighed and walked further into the abandoned secret laboratory, trying to ignore the stares of Rapunzel and Eugene on his back. It was slightly warmer in the cavern- just enough that Varian was able to drop his freezing hands from where he’d shoved them under his arms. He looked around at the various pieces- gnarled bits of metal and wood, disregarded pieces of automatons and music boxes- and scowled. 

When he’d first realized just how far it had all gone- realized that the kingdom was going to continue to turn against him, that he really was going to go through with kidnapping Arianna- he had started building these labs all through the tunnels with alarming precision. There were more than a few scattered around, five or six if Varian remembered correctly, all stocked with as many things as Varian had thought he could spare. 

He’d intended to run, after all was said and done. If Rapunzel really had…. If things had gone south, Varian’s plan had been to grab dad and escape down the tunnels, grab what supplies they could, and make a break for the wall. If dad would have actually gone along with it, Varian had no idea- especially not now that the alchemist knew of his own bloodline. Would Aldred have found Varian sooner if they’d successfully escaped Corona? Would the mad king have even found him at all? 

Varian shuddered at the thought. It was wishful thinking, he supposed. Besides, if that series of events had happened, Rapunzel would be… not among them anymore.

And Varian would be a murderer. 

Just as bad as fath- _Aldred_. Varian shook his head slightly. The Varian of four years ago was just as dead as the man who’d ruined the boy’s life- even if Aldred would have been so _proud_ to see Aisha’s son so close to eliminating a royal bloodline at such a young age. The thought made Varian sick- the idea that Aldred would be ecstatic to see his heir wreak such havoc, nearly tearing families apart, evil and cruel and _cold_ , just as Aldred had always wanted him to be-

There was a warm hand on his shoulder. 

“Varian.” Rapunzel said, her tone soothing. “It’s over.” 

Right. 

Of course she was right. The automatons were scrap metal buried in the earth, the royal family had forgiven him, the Coranian people trusted him again. 

And father was long dead. 

The stone felt colder under his feet. Rapunzel’s hand drew him into a one arm hug, bringing him closer to her. Varian went without question, burying his face in her shoulder and blocking out the hazy, moonlit cave. Ruddiger chittered in his ear, gently running little raccoon fingers through Varian’s hair. It tickled, and Varian couldn’t help but shift at the touch. 

Water was dripping somewhere, he realized, a quiet _plip-plip_ that echoed through the tunnels. Probably had come from the melting of the spring frost earlier in the day- the tunnels always had this nasty, damp feeling that Varian had always hated. 

“C’mon.” Eugene’s voice echoed through the cave. “Let’s get a fire started before we all get sick.” He moved towards the center of the cave, shuffling things around until he had cleared a space near the middle of the cave, drawing a long abandoned chair over and quickly taking a leg off it with a well timed kick. The brittle wood fell apart easily, the rest of the chair collapsing without much effort. Eugene tossed the pieces into a rough pile, starting to hunker down and try to get a small fire going.

Rapunzel went to him, dragging Varian with her. The boy went quietly, sitting down on the damp stone beside his sister. He slumped into her side- the reminder of their time in the royal library just a few days ago coming to the forefront of his brain. Varian sniffled, using the sleeve of his jacket to try and wipe away the combination of tears and ash stuck to his face. Rapunzel seemed to lose focus a little, watching as Eugene coaxed a small fire to life with the small book of matches he’d found in the duffel bag. The man finally sat down across from them, huffing out slightly as the cold finally began to leech from his bones. 

The three of them sat quietly, but Varian could already feel himself start to drift. The day had been long and hard, the running had only added to the stress of a sleepless night before and a day of anxiety and stress. The alchemist felt his head settle on his sister’s shoulder, the woman leaning slightly so her cheek rested against the crown of his head. Pascal trilled from his place on Rapunzel’s shoulders, something soothingly soft. They weren’t safe, not by a long shot, but if he closed his eyes and leaned against Rapunzel, he could pretend they were. Varian shifted as close as he could get, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to imagine his bedroom in the castle, or the library, or even his and Rapunzel’s favorite sitting room. It wasn’t quite the same, but with a little stubborn ignoring- he could at least pretend. 

Varian was asleep in seconds.

Rapunzel fidgeted in the quiet of the evening. Varian had fallen asleep over an hour ago, leaving just her and Eugene and the fire between them. She was taken back to a time two years ago, where they had been sitting in the depths of the Bayan forests on their way to rescue the child currently leaning into her side. Varian’s sleeping breaths puffed across her skin in a way that made her feel just that little more grounded. Her brother was here, right next to her, whole and healthy. Not trapped in a castle, not under the effects of a curse, not being tortured without anyone there to protect him-

“So, what’s the plan, sunshine?”

Eugene.

Rapunzel’s gaze slowly lifted from the fire, looking into the eyes of her husband. He looked just as shaken as she felt; now that Varian was asleep they had both allowed their calm exteriors to crumble. His face was pale and drawn, hair limp from where he’d been pulling on it out of stress. His whole posture was slouching and tired- in short, Eugene looked like _hell_ , and Rapunzel knew she probably wasn’t much better. She took a shaky breath, biting at her lip roughly. 

“We have to get him out of Corona.” She said softly, her voice like steel. It was so quiet between them that the sound didn’t even echo around the cave, but Eugene caught every word. He nodded, idly holding his chin in thought. 

“What about Vardaros?” He murmured, “I know it’s not exactly safe, but it’s close… people don’t ask questions there-”

Rapunzel shook her head, frantic. “We’ll have to leave him to come back to Corona- wherever we pick has to be safe enough for him to stay alone.”

“Right,” Eugene said, pursing his lips in thought. “Good point… hm.” 

“Maybe Tropi island?” Raupunzel said thoughtfully, “It’s out in the middle of nowhere- and the Lorbs would take care of him if we asked nicely, right?” 

Eugene nodded, but shook his head after a moment’s pause. “I don’t think the Lorbs would be able to keep the kid safe if his cover was blown; if this Merrick guy figured out where the island was, there’d be nowhere to run.” 

Rapunzel’s teeth worried deeper into her lip, the stress was getting to her. She could feel it deep in her chest, like a feral beast snarling and tearing at her from the inside out. They had to find _somewhere_ that would be safe enough for Varian to stay until this blew over, surely there was a place out there that Merrick wouldn’t find him-

“Pincosta?” Eugene said, and Rapunzel tasted blood. 

“With his reputation?” She murmured. “I don’t know…”

  
“It’s the best place so far,” Eugene said, “And he’s been pardoned... the good constable might be brutal, but he’s not _stupid_. If you ask him to house Varian, he’ll do it.” 

Rapunzel nodded, but stopped when Varian let out a small snort in his sleep at the movement. Ruddiger squirmed in the boy’s lax grip, but the pair of them settled quickly. Rapunzel looked to her husband, and to his stoney, blunt expression. It made her heart hurt to see Eugene so distressed, but she knew her own face had to be just as devastated. They’d lost their home, they were on the run from yet _another_ supernatural megalomaniac… and once again someone was trying to tear Varian away from them. Rapunzel sniffled, her hands tensing on the hilt of her frying pan to her left. It was a grounding weight, the cast iron heavy and solid in a way that brought her comfort. Pascale cooed from her shoulder, curling into the junction between her neck and shoulders. 

“Pincosta, then.” She murmured, and Eugene’s face twisted into a grim smile.

“And then?” He asked, the question loaded.

“And then we turn around, and see what we can do about introducing Merrick to _this_ bad boy.” Rapunzel tried for a grin, waving her frying pan. Eugene snorted, his smile turning genuine at the sight.

“Just make sure you leave enough of that punk so I can get a few shots in.” He arched a brow, “I have a few bruises I’d like him to pay for.”

“Anything for you, darling.” She fixed him with a mock-daring expression, “But you’ll have to get your hits in early- something tells me mom wants a few swings at him too.”

That had Eugene fully laughing- Rapunzel felt that little more at ease seeing him finally relax a little. She sank back against the rock she was leaning against; Varian went along with her without complaint, snuffling closer into her warmth. She hugged him close for a second- but when she saw Eugene making a face at her she stuck her tongue out.

“Enough of that.” She said softly, hugging Varian closer in retaliation. “He never lets me hug him for this long anymore- just let me have this.” 

Eugene was fully laughing now, biting into his leather glove at the knuckle. “I’m not saying anything, my love.” He gasped out, “Not a thing, who said anything? Was it you, frog?” 

Pascal let out a little trill from where he’d positioned himself on Rapunzel’s shoulder. She gently rubbed her cheek against him tilting her face so she could kiss his little head. The chameleon cooed, turning a soft pink at the affection. Rapunzel cooed back, giving him another peck. 

The atmosphere around the fire had finally settled into something calmer- with a plan formed it was easier to relax. Rapunzel found herself trying to count her blessings. They had made it out of Corona Capital alive, at the very least there was that to be grateful for- and they had a shot at getting Varian to somewhere safe. Small victories, but victories nonetheless. They just had to look on the bright side- even if everything else seemed pretty dark. 

Varian snuffled in his sleep again. She tightened her grip on him, not too much but enough to ground herself. They’d make it out of this, she was sure they would, but… Varian didn’t deserve this. Not after he’d already suffered so much, not after everything that had happened. Rapunzel stared deeply into the fire, not so much brooding as she was contemplating. 

She would keep Varian safe, come hell or high water. If it took everything she had, the skin off her back or the blood in her veins, he would be safe.

She would make sure of it. 

Varian woke up to the sound of shuffling footsteps. He groaned, shifting slightly, feeling the hard stone under his back. His pillow chittered irritably, and Varian realized as he buried his face into it that- from the soft smell of apples and clean animal hair- Ruddiger had been letting himself be used as a cushion. The boy smiled slightly, lifting his arms and gently grabbing at the raccoon, snuggling closer to his struggling pet. Ruddiger put up a token protest- his little hands _papped_ against Varian’s face as the rodent struggled for freedom- but it was obvious that the raccoon was content as he immediately settled into the hug. 

Varian finally cracked his eyes open, idly rubbing his cheek into Ruddiger’s fur. The cave was a little less scary in the morning light; weak sunlight filtered through the hole at the top giving the cave less of a creepy array of shadows and darkness. Varian could see the burnt remains of the fire nearby, their duffle bag of supplies open and even more full than it had been before. He caught sight of bare feet puttering around- Rapunzel- and a pair of dark leather boots- Eugene- the two of them slowly wandering around the cave and scavenging for anything useful. 

Varian sat up with a goan, the ache in his bones unyielding even when he managed to get his hands under him so he could stand. Ruddiger seemed unhappy until Varian bent down and scooped him up, holding the raccoon like one would an infant. Ruddiger cooed, burying his fluffy face into Varian’s neck. The boy laughed, which drew the attention of the adults.

“Hey, sleeping beauty!” Eugene laughed, “Finally woke up did you?” 

Varian pulled a face at him, sticking out his tongue. The man returned it just as heartily, only stopping when Rapunzel fixed the both of them with a disapproving stare. Varian felt the tips of his ears heat up at being scolded, the boy quickly turning to look at their stuffed duffel. 

“What are we getting?” He asked, scanning through to see alchemy equipment, preserves that were still good, a few tools and other items Varian had stashed long ago to prepare for making a break from Corona. He took a mental tally, it was basically everything in this part of the caves, the rest was all surely lost to cave-ins and decay by now. Varian shuffled to one of the shelves, stopping when he saw a small bag tucked away near the back of one of the lower levels. One of Quirins old bags, a satchel that Varian had shoved full of the man’s old clothes. He gently took hold of the bag, lifting it from the shelf with a reverence he didn’t know he had. Dust drifted from the bag as Varian moved it, sinking down towards the floor.

The boy popped the worn, copper clasp gently. Inside were a few shirts, too large for Varian, a few pairs of pants, and there, at the very bottom-

Varian drew out a cloak, dark grey and made of a thick wool. It had been Quirin’s, one of his older ones- Varian now knew that the strange silver clasp was shaped in the symbol of the dark brotherhood, meant to close over the heart. Varian gently set the bag down, drawing the fabric close to his face. This had been dad’s favorite cloak. Varian hugged it close, the familiar feeling of the soft fabric comforting and safe. He pushed his cheek onto it, and there, drifting in the air...

The smell of apples. 

Varian let out a little gasp, hugging the cloak a little tighter. It smelt like… like home. Like Old Corona and the apple blossoms in spring, the old mansion that he’d grown up in- like toddling around on too short legs and eventually clinging to the pant leg belonging to his dad. Being scooped up and held tightly by the large man, curling close to Quirin’s heart, burying his face into the man’s shirt and smelling-

“Apples.” Varian whispered, near silent in the gloom of the cave. 

“What was that?” Rapunzel asked. Varian looked up from the cloak to meet her eye, idly bringing it around and wrapping it around himself. It settled like a grounding weight on his shoulders, the clasp clipping together without trouble even after all the time it had spent buried away. Varian could feel the very edges of it brush the ground- still a little too long for Varian’s slight form. He tried to bunch it a little to keep it from getting dirty, but stopped when he caught Eugene staring at him. Varian let the fabric drop, embarrassed, but the older man merely walked over and gently nudged him.

“You’ll grow into it.” Eugene assured him, and Varian felt his face split into a wide grin.

“Of course he will.” Rapunzel’s voice drifted towards them. Varian looked over at the princess, seeing her standing strong with her frying pan at the ready and the duffel swung over her shoulder. Varian smiled at the sight of her, tall and proud and put together in a way he couldn’t help but want to emulate when he got older. Rapunzel had a kind of strength to her, a determination in the face of even the greatest of dangers… where once Varian had been so annoyed by her and her stubbornness, now he was grateful for it.

How times had changed.

Eugene led them back to the exit to the upper world, the ladder creaking under them as they climbed. He cracked the trapdoor open, all three of them wincing at the light as it cut into the darkness around them. Eugene went first, slowly creeping out into the world beyond the trapdoor. Rapunzel and Varian waited with bated breath for over a minute, silently stressed in the darkness- until Eugene’s head popped back into view, waving them up. 

Varian rubbed at his eyes in the brightness of the Coronian day, squinting as they adjusted to being topside again. Rapunzel didn’t seem to care, stretching and seeming to absorb the warmth. 

“So what’s the plan?” Varian asked, “Go, storm the city? I bet if we can find Max he’d be helpful...”

Ruddiger chittered in agreement, curling tighter around his shoulders. Eugene and Rapunzel looked at each other, Rapunzel bit her lip and clapped her hands together, a forced smile splitting across her face.

  
“Weeeelll,” She drew out the word. Varian felt his blood pressure go up. “We were thinking of going to Pincosta,” Rapunzel did a little wiggling dance, as if to drum up excitement. “Won’t that be _fun_? And away from Corona? And safe?” 

“And _useless_?” Varian said, mimicking her forcefully happy tone and grit-teeth smile. Rapunzel’s face fell, but she didn’t back down. 

“And _safe_.” She repeated. “Varian, I know you want to help, but-”

“So let me help!” Varian cut her off, “Rapunzel, you _need me_ , we’ve faced worse than this!” 

“We have, and you almost died then, too!” Rapunzel was going to dig her heels in, then. Varian scowled, why couldn’t she see things from his perspective? Didn’t she trust him?!

“I want to help take back our home!”

“So do I, of course I do-”

“Then let me help!”

“-But I _can’t_ , not until you’re safe!”

Varian paused, turning to Eugene for backup. The man held his hands up, stepping back. “Sorry, kid.” The man said, “I’m with sunshine. You’re sitting this one out.” 

“Varian, _please_.” Rapunzel said, “I _need_ you to be safe. Just. For me? I couldn’t take it if something happened.” 

Varian… stopped. Sighed. He wasn’t winning this, not with both of them against him. He’d just have to convince them to turn around later. It would be a waste of time, but they couldn’t afford to stay in Old Corona anymore. Still, Varian couldn’t help but pause for a beat, thinking for _anything_ to convince them… but found himself short. 

“Pincosta, then?” He finally sighed. Rapunzel’s expression lightened, still stressed but a little more relaxed. The tension in her shoulders bled out, and she reached forwards to hook her arm around his, grabbing Eugene with the other. She linked their elbows, effectively trapping them.

“C’mon!” She declared, “Just like old times, it’s an _adventure_!”

She tugged them along by their interlocked elbows, starting them forwards. Varian could feel himself getting caught up in her energy, picking up his pace to match hers as she led them off towards the Coronian Wall. 

In the face of her enthusiasm, Varian couldn’t help but smile.

“I want that little shit _dead_.” 

The voice echoed around the dungeon of Corona castle, bouncing off the stone walls and rattling around in Queen Arianna’s ears like a funeral drum. She sat up just a little straighter on her cot, ever the graceful queen, and waited as she heard her jailers approach. In the cell to her left Frederic, who had been pacing, stood stock still. They looked at each other in apprehension, but steeled themselves- they had to show as little emotion as possible, for their citizens, their country… and their children. 

There was another voice, a woman’s; she seemed to be arguing with Merrick as they drew closer to the royals. She sounded irritated, from Arianna’s perspective, but older, her voice more contained than the man’s harsh tone.

“I know,” She said, “We all want the crow buried. But we have to _stay focused_ on getting him back first, and getting what we need from him. If _you_ hadn’t screwed up the spell, then he’d be locked up with mommy and daddy like he was supposed to be-”

“I didn’t screw up shit!” Merrick shot back, “It was right, I _know_ it was right. Unless the crow’s been eating bergamot or something- it should have worked!”

“Well it _didn’t_.” Merrick’s friend shot back, and Arianna could see the light of their torches approach around the corner. “So now we’ve got to collect the kid ourselves.” 

And just like that, they rounded the corner. Arianna saw Merrick- so young, so angry, she couldn’t help but be reminded of Varian- and another woman, one of his generals. She was nearly as tall as Merrick was, with a buzz cut of short, black hair. Her eyes were the same toxic green as Merrick’s- a sister, maybe? She paused at the corner, the two of them whispering back and forth for a moment more. Arianna tilted her head _just so_ , listening to their hushed words.

“Won’t we already know where he’s going? If he gets there-” He was saying

“We don’t know that.” The woman muttered. “And if he’s with the princess and her little boy-toy, then they would take the little crow somewhere else for sure.” 

“But if they _do_ -”

“Then we’ll have to deal with it then. Bayangor first, _then_ our birthright. Once he’s ours, it will all fall into place.”

“...If he gets there first- Cerise, it could destroy us.” 

“But he won’t. They’re on the run, they’re panicking. They probably don’t even know where to go.” 

They went even quieter between the two of them, and Arianna wasn’t able to hear anymore of their conversation. A rock settled in her gut, heavier and more prominent than before. Whatever it was that Merrick wanted Varian for, it didn’t just extend to Bayangor’s future; there was more at play, it seemed. 

There was another few seconds of hushed conversation. The woman- Cerise- finally snapped a little louder, and Arianna was able to hear once more. 

“Hey,” She said, gently punching Merrick in the chest. “C’mon, get it together. For dad.”

Merrick puffed out a breath. He sounded stressed- Arianna was struck by the memory of Varian in the library only a few days ago. Her heart hurt at the thought of her children; _Sun, please keep them safe_ , the queen prayed. 

“For dad.” Merrick’s voice rang through the empty dungeon. Cerise nodded once, a rough jab of her chin more than anything, before pushing off the stone walls leaving the dungeon. Her footsteps echoed in the stone, a soft _click-click_ of heeled boots, until Arianna could hear the heavy door to the dungeons swing shut. 

And then it was just them.

Merrick started with ignoring both royals, dragging a nearby chair closer and sitting with no small amount of flourish. Arianna glared at him, and she didn’t have to look to know the exact same expression would be painting her husband’s face as well. The teenager seemed unphased, kicking his legs up and hooking the backs of his knees over the arm of the chair. He slouched against the other arm, pulling a knife from his belt and idly playing with it as his eyes flicked between his two prisoners, twisting the tip of the knife back and forth on the pad of his pointer finger. 

“ _So_.” His voice was loud in the quiet of the dungeon. Arianna glared all the harder, and he rolled his eyes. “I have a proposition for you.” 

“We refuse.” Frederic bit out, and Arianna cringed. Being impulsive would get them nowhere. Negotiations were a part of the game- much as he hated it. They would, unfortunately, need to at least _try_ and work towards a deal… even if she was sure the goals of the man in front of them were full of nothing but fire and blood.

“Too bad, I’m saying it anyways!” Merrick chirped. “Tell me where the princess would take the kid and I’ll leave your country in peace- once he’s out of the way.” 

“We don’t know where she would take him.” Arianna said with all of her regular poise, holding up her hand to stay off her husband’s angry retort. “And if we did, we know _exactly_ what you would do to Varian- no deal.” 

Merrick pouted slight at that, transitioning to trying to balance the tip of the knife on his pointer finger. 

“See, and that’s your problem. You Coronians never seem to see the bigger picture. One crow, for a peaceful kingdom. We’re willing to make that sacrifice for Bayangor- are you not for your own country? Your own people?” 

“We don’t do well with _sacrifices_ ,” Arianna said, “Especially not human ones. We find our own way.” 

Merrick barked out a laugh. The knife was perfectly balanced on his finger, the point of the blade threatening to puncture skin at any second.

“Doesn’t sound that way when you look at your outer towns.” He said, “Even in Bayangor we heard about your little _rock problem_.” 

Arianna saw Frederic tense. 

“We made a mistake.” She said, cutting him off before his anger could get the best of him. “And we paid dearly for it.” 

“So make it again.” Merrick grunted. “And tell me where the crow is.”

“We don’t know.” She insisted. “And with luck, you’ll never find out.”

There was a pause- Arianna couldn’t help but wonder something.

“Why do you call Varian a crow?” Her voice was quiet against the stone and dripping water, but Merrick perked up.

“Oh, that’s easy.” The man said with a smug grin. “Crowshaven is aptly named- the royals who lived there were a bunch of flesh-eating, black haired _animals_ after all. Aldred was a parasite on the kingdom, eating whatever happened to _die_ near him- and I’m sure his son is no different.” 

“Varian’s nothing like that man.” Oddly enough it was Frederic who spoke. The man was tense, towering over Merrick. The younger man didn’t seem intimidated, however, merely grinning with something bitter between the teeth.

“Oh course he is.” Merrick muttered. “It’s in the _blood_.” 

The knife wobbled, but settled when its wielder adjusted. Merrick’s face was scrunched, as if pondering something, or like he’d been hit by a sudden bout of indigestion. It was hard to tell.

“How’s about this? You tell me where he is, and I don’t kill you both and find him myself.”

“If you could find him that easily you wouldn’t be asking us.”

Merrick paused, looking lost for words.

“You’ve got me there.” He admitted, “But I _can_ find him. Just takes a little more elbow grease.” He flipped the knife with a quick movement, snatching the hilt and throwing it with one smooth motion. It _whizzed_ through the air, embedding itself with a _thunk_ into a nearby barrel. “So before this gets _messy_ -” He snapped his fingers, bringing a flame to life with a flick of the wrist, “I’ll ask you again.” 

Merrick sat up fully, looking at them both. The light of the fire danced across his bitter, angry face in a way that made a spike of cold run down Arianna’s spine. She shuddered, subconsciously flinching as the man drew closer. The flame got larger, and she swore she could feel the heat deep in her skin. Merrick’s expression darkened further, the jovial taunting gone like smoke in the wind. His tone, when he spoke again, was a bitter sort of rage. 

“Tell me where the brat is.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all!! Happy Wednesday! Sort of a breather chapter this week, something to mellow out the chaos of last chapter. I love writing these kinds of chapters though, just giving characters time to talk it out and settle themselves! Thank you for reading :D
> 
> I have a tumblr over [here](https://littlemisslol-fic.tumblr.com/), and the spotify playlist for this fic is [here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5Q5cXgyYtiTEJ8RdxFWqWO?si=WyhQ6Ch-R6mKqnzxarh8bw)!!


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